What Does My Client Do?
The very first thing you must learn before you set foot through a client’s front door is the basic understanding of what they do, their goals and how they generate revenue. Initial insight can be found on the company’s website under their mission statement or the “about us” section. Dig through their entire public facing website to get a good idea of what image they are promoting to their customers. Even though this image may not match what you see when you hit the ground, it will give you a good idea of what they originally wanted to be or what they plan to grow into. Most companies fall into some basic industry like pharmaceuticals, banking, telecom, etc., so it is wise to read through the basic Wikipedia articles on how those industries came about, how they currently exist and how they generate their revenue and growth. Your client may be more of a niche player in a larger industry, but knowing the bigger picture is always a good start. From the high-level, dig into the specific goals and revenue models of the respective client. Most of your valuable discoveries will come once you are onsite but this should give you a good head start and allow you to speak with more credibility early on. The last item you will want to research is the exact group you will be working with and the basics of their day job. Will you be working with accounting? Read a basics of accounting book. Are you going to be helping review data for a private equity firm? Pick up some books on how PE Firms operate and invest. If you get stuck finding information or want to know more, reach out to your manager or mentor and see if they can guide you to some resources at your firm.
Are you interested in starting a career in consulting? Be sure do read the full book Jack of all Trades Master of Some; An Introduction to Consulting available on Amazon.