Most consulting engagements that go badly were already going badly in the first call. The signs were there. Nobody asked the question that would have surfaced them.

We sit on the other side of that call every week. These are the questions we would ask if we were the ones hiring.

Who will actually do the work?

Ask for names. The partner who pitches is often not the person who shows up on day three. Meet the people who will run interviews, build the model and write the summary, and decide if you trust them.

What will I have in my hands, and when?

A good answer is specific: a written diagnosis in week three, a plan with owners in week six. A vague answer, like “insights” or “alignment”, usually means the scope will grow to fill the budget.

• What is the fixed scope, in writing?

• What happens if you finish early?

• Which decisions stay with my team?

How will we know it worked?

Agree on a baseline before the work starts. If a consultant cannot name the two or three numbers they expect to move, they are not yet ready to quote.

One question to skip

Do not ask for a list of famous clients. Ask for one client you can call, who had a problem like yours, and who will tell you what went wrong.