Consulting Services

Consulting

Consulting services captures a group of amenities tied to Total Merchant Network’s core products and services along with certain standalone services that are of high value all by themselves.  These services are mainly focused on helping to identify and solve problems within existing or new modes of commerce.  For some businesses these activities may be new, and for others they are part of everyday life.

 

Consultants Who Actually Do Something

One of the biggest problems with consultants for many small businesses is that they do very little or nothing for how much they cost.  This factor often eliminates the use of consultants altogether.  The irony is that a large benefit to using consultants is the unbiased 3rd party opinion they bring to the table because they are not trying to sell any particular product to make money.  They are simply selling their time and expertise.

Total Merchant Network eliminates the pay for performance issue that many small businesses have with consultants by combining both industries (Consulting & Service Providers) into one package.  To read more about how this is done in a larger framework with our parent company TFN, Click Here.

The bottom line is that because Total Merchant Network offers a suite of products and services from various providers the option is simple to choose which solution works best for the particular business situation.  The challenge is that typically small business owners are not experts in payment processing, application hosting and similar high-tech topics.  This is where the consulting side of the service kicks in and provides a high value to the customer.  By performing a thorough needs analysis and in some cases full process map, Total Merchant Network is able to identify the best solutions for the customer regardless of the particular service provider.  On top of this Total Merchant Network helps the customer setup and implement the product as well as support the service long term.

 

What if I just need help defining the problem?

If all that your business needs is help identifying and defining the problem, we offer world class, standalone process mapping and technology services.  However we find that once the problem has been identified and defined, many businesses prefer a turnkey solution as it lowers costs and wait time.  This is exactly what Total Merchant Network does.

Please refer to our FAQ and or blog which is loaded with free advice, statistics and information that we believe we help drive commerce for your business.

Click here for the checklist we use to help identify areas of opportunity and root causes

Here are some examples of more in-depth needs analysis questions we utilize.  Feel free to use them on your own business, as a self-reflection tool and barometer for your sense of direction.

  1. Where is your business heading in the next 18 months?
  2. What are 2 or 3 critical areas that need to be developed in order to get there?
  3. What is the biggest challenge in your business that once removed would free up resources?
  4. What do you feel adds to the challenges you face that if removed would increase your revenue?
  5. How have past experiences influenced your current business practices? Improved or limited?
  6. Which outside groups contribute to your success and how do their contributions benefit you?
  7. Who needs to be involved for optimal results with any given solution considered?
  8. Which facts should a solution provider consider before approaching your specific concerns?
  9. What kind of solution would best fit your current needs?
  10. What do you expect the result you receive to look like?