Question 1 — diagnose or quote first?

Problem tree output — strategy, org, mechanism, key posts — then phased quote.

Question 2 — one module or OSMP?

KPI without authority fails; strategy without org fails — ask how modules chain to productivity.

Question 3 — who leads, on-site how?

Senior advisor at milestones; 90-day on-site days and meetings in contract.

Question 4 — flat at 3 months?

Written correction — data review, metric adjust, extra coaching, stage pause.

Enterprise vs management consulting wording?

Same buyer concern — which lever moves your main constraint first.

Reliable firm traits?

Diagnose first, numbered cases, staged acceptance, on-site advisors.

Rich interviews, zero landing?

Contract deliverables and trial — signers must own business metrics.

Ask multi-plant cases — HQ one sheet, plants each own = fail zone.

How to Choose an Enterprise Management Consulting Firm — 4 Pre-Sign Questions

Industry selection

RMB 1.2B group — sales quotes org + performance + pay bundle RMB 1.8M. Owner asks: expand or cost-control this year? Sales pivots to framework slides. Silence — seen too often.

Four pre-sign questions — not PPT compare — can OSMP run in your plant: Strategy (O) → Organization (S) → Mechanism (M) → People (P).

Q1: Diagnose first or quote first?

Solid teams spend half a day on problem tree: unclear strategy, weak org capacity, broken mechanism, key-post gap — which is primary. Diagnosis has output, not sales talk. Diagnose-then-quote beats package selling.

Example: RMB 1.2B bundle quote — good team asks expand vs cost-control, cadre capacity — may scope org + performance first, pay phase two.

Q2: One module or OSMP through-line?

KPI without authority — review theater. Strategy alone, org cannot carry — also fails. Communications client — strategy through org, performance, pay, equity, culture — 6× revenue in 3 years, IPO planning started. Ask: how modules chain to productivity per head.

Strategy landing, not strategy consulting — mechanism without org roots is sand-building.

Q3: Who leads — on-site arrangement?

Sign with expert, start with junior — manufacturing owners burned too often. Contract: founder or senior ICMC at milestones; key nodes advisor present, daily client team executes — not email edits as “on-site.” First 90 days: days per month, which meetings.

Q4: Flat at three months?

Vague blame answers — cautious. Professional: trial data review, metric adjust, extra coaching, stage pause. Staged acceptance in clauses, not brochure only.

Supplement cases

Client	Signal
Instruments (Shenzhen)	KA org — sales doubled, productivity per seller doubled
Mixed portfolio	+15% productivity
Optoelectronics	2× revenue 3 years
Parking management	Org/role/performance/pay — listed (002609)
Communications	OSMP through-line benchmark

Score each question 0–2 — vague / partial / numbers+on-site+clause. Below 6/8, delay signing.

Liu Xinzhen · NDU MSc · ICMC-certified consultant ｜ XieChunQiu · Shenzhen

20+ years · 600+ clients · 200+ listed companies · 80%+ repeat or referral