What can a consultant do for you?
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Starting next week a special series of articles by John Darker on the theme: Consultancy in Transport and Distribution will be published in CM.
For some years, manyfirms with a large involvement in transport have made extensive use of consultants. Prices and Incomes Board surveys touching on goods and passenger transport have been largely written by consultancy teams hired by the Board. Marketing and distribution surveys involving the use of operational research and other advanced techniques are common form in Britain, Europe and America. All such surveys are designed to pin-point areas of transport cost savings.
In industrial relations, consultants have made a major contribution. Successful productivity schemes have been built on the foundation of performance standards developed by consultants. Economies in vehicle maintenance and new strategies for fleet renewals have often been achieved by consultancy firms.
Transport consultants do not confine their advice to private and public companies. Medium-sized road haulage firms profit from specialist advice. Government departments at home and abroad are large users of consultancy services. British consultants have examined transport investment projects for United Nations agencies, the World Bank, etc.—the experience gained is usefully deployed in Britain. Environmental factors loom large in planning inquiries today; consultants keep abreast of the vital factors influencing decision making.
In CM'S new series some of the best known consultancy firms will be featured. They include The Anne Shaw Organization, Davies and Robson, Associated Industrial Consultants, Harold Whitehead and Partners, A. T. Kearney and Company, etc. Some smaller consultancy teams which have made significant contributions to transport efficiency will also participate.
Don't risk missing this interesting and valuable contribution to transport management. Make sure that your newsagent has a regular order for CM for you.
The series: Consultancy in Transport and Distribution begins in Management Matters, next week.