The purpose of strategic diagnosis is to deeply understand and analyze the problems faced by customers, find out the reasons and conditions for these problems, and prepare the necessary information for finding solutions. The diagnosis report is an effective way to clearly show these findings, analysis and conclusions of consultants to customers, an important achievement in the diagnosis stage, and a necessary step to ensure the smooth progress of consulting work.
First, the importance of strategic diagnosis report
Interviews and surveys for diagnosis are often long-term, large-scale and expensive, so customers are often very interested in the results of this task and have high expectations. As an important periodic report in the consultation process, strategic diagnosis report plays an indispensable role in the consultation process. A good report can not only summarize and convey information and point out the direction for the formulation and implementation of the next strategy, but also show the professional level of consultants, enhance the trust and recognition of customers to consultants, and play a multiplier role in the success of the whole strategic consulting project.
(A) to determine the existing problems and reasons
After analyzing the clients' internal resources and capabilities, as well as the external environment, the consultant has become familiar with all aspects of the clients, especially with the prior assumptions being verified one by one, the consultant has a more accurate judgment on the clients' problems and reasons. In this case, the consultant should and may give accurate answers to the urgent questions of the clients. The main content of strategic diagnosis report is to identify the strategic problems of customers and analyze the reasons. Providing strategic diagnosis report to customers is an important link in the consultation process.
(b) increase customer trust. Customers have invested a lot of manpower and material resources in the early stage of the consulting project, hoping to see the results as soon as possible. Failure to see the real consultation results will weaken their enthusiasm for work and even make them doubt the consultation. The strategic diagnosis report is an opportunity to show the achievements of consultants. Staged results display is an affirmation of customer cooperation, and it can also urge customers to keep up with the project progress and actively cooperate with further work. If they are satisfied with the diagnosis, they will be more willing to provide information and express their opinions.
(3) Measuring the level of consultation
A professional consultant not only needs solid professional knowledge and rich operational experience, but also needs to effectively convey information to customers. The consultant's findings may bring great benefits to customers, but if they cannot be expressed accurately in an effective way to convince customers, it will be in vain.
Diagnosis is one of the most difficult tasks in the whole consultation process. In any enterprise, consultants will encounter many problems of different nature and degree: subjective and objective, realistic and potential, significant and irrelevant, obvious and hidden; In the process of diagnosis, we should listen to the opinions of different people, from managers to grass-roots employees, everyone has their own starting point and perspective, and we should absorb opinions and not be influenced by others' opinions; Investigation and research have collected a lot of information, how to grasp the scale, grasp the overall situation and give consideration to the details, pay attention to the key points without being limited; Even the same client will be different in the eyes of different consultants. How to extract useful information from a large amount of information, sort out the organized logical relationship and discover the key essence. These all depend on the consultant's personal ability and accumulation.
The quality of strategic diagnosis report shows the insight and analytical ability of consultants to a great extent, and shows the professional level of consultants. The level of strategic diagnosis report affects and determines the credibility, image and influence of consulting companies and consultants.
Determine the content of the negotiation
Managers of enterprises often can't accurately grasp their own problems, or their knowledge and understanding of consulting is different from that of consulting companies, and they can't clearly grasp the needs of consulting. Many times, the problems of enterprises are integrated into strategic issues. Although both parties will make clear the consultation content before signing the contract, through strategic diagnosis, they will find out what the real problems of the enterprise are and what problems need to be solved. It is likely that the consultant thinks that what the customer needs to solve urgently is not a strategic problem, but. Consultants should be responsible for the enterprise, explain the reasons for this problem to customers, make suggestions, further communicate with customers, and clarify the consulting content. If the customer insists on strategic consultation, he should respect the customer's intention, but explain to the customer the influence on the consultation effect and suggest the main work to be done next.
(v) Determine the direction of consultation.
In practice, it is difficult and inappropriate to draw a clear line between strategic diagnosis and strategic formulation. Diagnosis is not only to pave the way for the follow-up work, but also to set the tone and theme. Just like a doctor treating a patient, it is necessary to understand the condition and diagnose the cause before prescribing a prescription, so as to prescribe the right medicine. Once the cause is determined, it is not difficult to prescribe medicine. The same is true of the strategic diagnosis report. Only by determining the consultation content and direction on the basis of diagnosis can we be targeted and adapt to the real situation of customers. The same is true in practical consultation. According to the problems faced by enterprises listed in the diagnosis report, consultants should think about whether these problems can be solved within a certain period of time and how to solve them, so as to determine the principle orientation of consulting solutions, choose solutions to problems and determine the focus of strategy formulation. Without correct diagnosis, there will be no correct working direction, and the wrong diagnosis will make the follow-up consultation work based on the wrong foundation, and the consultation effect that customers are satisfied with will not be obtained.
(6) Strengthen communication with customers.
The strategic diagnosis report is an important link in the relationship between the consultant and the client. It comprehensively shows the consultant's views on the problems existing in the client's strategy and their causes in a formal way, and openly accepts the client's inspection and query. This kind of formal communication can make up for the lack of oral and informal communication and is more convincing. The logic of the report should be rigorous. Before discussing each conclusion, the background, basis and reasons should be explained in detail. The report provides ample space and rich expressions for this discussion. Perhaps a chart or a set of data can easily convince the audience, which is impossible in oral communication.
The formulation of strategy should not only be fully discussed and carefully decided by consultants, but also need to communicate with customers many times and repeatedly. As a phased achievement before determining the strategy, the strategic diagnosis report provides an important opportunity for feedback from all parties. Before the report is published, we should exchange views with relevant personnel on the main points to ensure that the basis of diagnosis is true and reliable and the conclusion is reasonable. If you give some unexpected results directly without careful confirmation when the report is released, it is easy to be questioned, and it will also surprise and surprise customers. On the other hand, the purpose of diagnosis report is not only to show the results of investigation and analysis, but also to prepare for making strategies. Therefore, after the strategic diagnosis report is published, extensive communication is essential. Listen to the opinions and suggestions of the recipients of the strategic diagnosis report, and seriously discuss the divergent parts of the report until everyone can accurately understand the contents of the report and fully express their views as IE.
Second, the content of the strategic diagnosis report
Before writing a strategic diagnosis report, we must first determine the contents of the report, which are essential and which can be ignored. The content of the report is not fixed, and the principle is to convey useful information to customers. A general strategic diagnosis report should include the following three aspects.
(1) Basic information
First of all, the first part of the report should briefly and completely summarize the basic situation, including the basic situation of enterprises and projects. The client is too busy to read through this long report. Therefore, how to express it in concise and accurate language is the key to this part. Don't pay too much attention to the information that customers are already familiar with and the general information that is of little significance to strategy formulation. The focus of the statement should be:
1. Work completed by consultants. Summarize what consultants have done, such as what data collection work they have done, who they have interviewed, and what scope they have conducted questionnaires. These contents explain the source of information to be transmitted in the report, and also let customers know the working methods of consultants, and at the same time let customers know where their human and material resources are spent.
2. The fact that the consultant first discovered. These facts can be a new set of data sorted out during the investigation; Or the new situation reflected by employees; Or new trends in the market. In short, "new" is the key. Only by seeing what customers don't see, or seeing what customers have, but not finding the root of the problem and not realizing the harm of the problem, can such information have the value of existence.
3. Known facts that can bring new discoveries. Some facts may be familiar to customers for a long time, but different conclusions can be drawn through the analysis of consultants, which is also very important in the diagnosis report. Maybe a new angle and new thinking will bring a sexual result.
In the basic situation part, we should show the work results of the consultant in the previous stage and attract customers to follow the consultant's ideas with new and useful information.
(B) the main problems existing in the current strategy and their causes
Strategic diagnosis report is the main tool to reveal all the problems of customers. Customers need to know their situation and opportunities clearly through these documents. Similarly, clear expression and complete content are the basic requirements. This part is the main body of the strategic diagnosis report and should include the following contents:
Methods of diagnosis. What assumptions were made during the analysis, what tools were used, and whether all factors were fully considered. The specific diagnosis process can be omitted from the report, but there must be enough facts to convince customers that the conclusions are based on theory and can stand the test of time.
2. Problems and causes of customers. This part needs a lot of factual basis and logical reasoning, list the factual basis of reasoning as much as possible, and use charts and other more intuitive ways to improve the credibility and persuasiveness of the report.
This part reveals the problems in the customer's business operation and the deficiencies in management, which is to find fault with customers. Therefore, when pointing out problems, people should be sincere and willing to accept them from the interests of customers.
(3) Suggestions to solve the problem
The strategic diagnosis report should point out the future direction of action, so it is necessary not only to diagnose the problems of customers, but also to propose corresponding solutions. Include the following contents:
1. The method to solve the problem and the correctness of the method. Put forward the corresponding solutions to the problems, which will play a guiding role in formulating the strategy, thus building the embryonic form of the strategy. At the same time, it is also essential to explain the correctness of the method, what methods are available, why we choose this method and what advantages it has compared with other methods. This explanation can make the report complete and thorough.
2. Possible outcomes. Describe the expected results to customers, including good expectations and bad preparations, and what factors may affect the implementation results and the severity of their impact. Detailed description helps to convince customers to accept the scheme and make full preparations for the implementation results.
3. Other places that need attention. The plan can't cover everything, and the initial needs of customers are one-sided. Consultants can point out some factors that potential customers have not seen, but may affect the future development of the enterprise.