Why email consulting is better

My job is to help food entrepreneurs a simple, fast, and affordable way. We communicate via emails. I am convinced that it works better than face to face meetings.

I started advising food SMEs only two years ago. It happened by chance. I was contacted by a small South African company who needed help but did not trust traditional food industry consultants.

Emailing is simple

I am direct by character. Have always been, in fact. I prefer blunt efficiency to circumvallated theories. It sometimes was a challenge when I was an employee. But as a food industry consultant it is an advantage.

When Tony (the owner of the South African Company) contacted me I thought about how to tackle the challenge. He was in South Africa and meeting was out of question. The best way to start and see how to help was to ask questions by email. We therefore started discussing about Tony’s business by email.

Writing is better than meeting

Writing has many advantages. Probably the biggest is that you have time. It means that you may articulate your thoughts or questions. A food industry consultant facing his/her client needs to think fast and make a good impression. No such thing in writing, or rather you have more time to be “clever” in your thinking and questioning/answering.

The same applies on the other end of the process. People underestimate the stress that a face to face meeting can create for the client. Especially as SMEs want to make the best of the paid time of their food industry consultant. No such thing with writing: my clients take their time and can read/answer when they have time.

A better interlocutor

If you do not know personally your interlocutor what effect will this have on your relationship? Some could argue that it would not be as good as developing a real personal interaction.

I tend to disagree. In fact, I think that the opposite happens. By not meeting in person you can “shape” your interlocutor the way you want. By having the possibility to choose when (and where) you interact you are in a better mental state and therefore not only more efficient but as well more relaxed.

You can say more

As a food industry consultant, I can convey more complex ideas in writing, more direct opinions. It is available for my clients to review and take their time to assimilate.

A face to face discussion often generates a “contest” (especially between men) which does not exist when writing.

It happened by chance but I am now convinced that micro consulting –dealing with simple subjects – by email is very efficient on many points of view.

 

I created food microconsulting to provide simple, fast, and affordable help to food industry professionals. Active career management services.

You can read more at:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/uber-food-consulting-olivier-goudineau

or visit www.foodmicroconsulting.com