Overview - Getting It Done Right The First Time

Okay, so you have decided that you need to hire a Microsoft Excel consultant or an Excel programmer to either work on Excel files you already have, or to build a new Excel based  application, from scratch. Sounds easy enough, but wait, how do you successfully hire a Microsoft Excel consultant or programmer?

We wrote this page to help you make sense of the market and to help you to navigate the waters.  We used our 23 years of experience as one of the superior Excel consulting firms to come up with the list below.  Follow this and you have a very good chance of getting what you were looking for. And if you have questions about the market we will be happy to discuss them with you.

Developers - What Type Of Company Do You Want To Hire

So you know what you need in the Excel application.  But you also need to know what you want from the firm that you hire. Here are just a few of those possible requirements.

1. Hire a company over an individual.
2. Do you need a local  company or will remote work.
3. Number of years of consulting and programming experience.
4. Does the company work strictly in Excel, or Access as well.
5. What are their days of operation.
6. What are their hours of operation.
   1. Evenings, Weekends, Holidays.
7. Do they have a corporate office you can visit.
8. Etc.

Do You Want To Use Google, LinkedIn, Referrals, etc

Google is the best search method/tool you can use to find the right Microsoft Excel consultant to hire. Look at those companies ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd, as Google values those companies over the others.

Type "Local Excel Consultant" into Google For Example

Either type in the search phrase “Excel Consultant” or “Local Excel Consultant” depending on your needs.

Which companies comes up first, second, or third? Those are the ones that matter most to Google.

In Google For Example What Results Matter

In Google’s eyes it matters who comes up first, second, and third, that is what counts.  Not the paid ads, but the organic results are what you want to see.

Not individual freelancers, not those foreign based freelancer websites, but corporations with 20 or more years in the business, if possible, the market leader.

Are They A 5-Star Rated Company?

Online Client Reviews can tell you a lot about a company.  When you read them do you see different clients saying the same things?  Are they confirming the qualities of the company?

Always look for a 5-Star Rated company.  Those are the companies that you want to work with. It is your money so hire the best firm for the dollar.

Look for firms that “Exceed Expectations”, here is a perfect example of what you want to read:

Our company was in need of VBA programming for an Excel template I had created. Excel & Access response time with a quote and a finished product was superior; they made the process simple and easy and by far exceeded our expectations with their responsiveness and accuracy of the output. Excel & Access truly takes pride in their work and business relationships. I highly recommend Excel & Access to any company looking for professional, accurate and VERY expeditious service!!.

Unless You Want To Hire An Individual In India

There are numerous freelancer websites in the results these days.  These are typically offering low cost individuals that work out of India.  They are not companies and they are not professional consultants, they are individuals that often miss the mark, based on what our clients have told us.

$12 an hour sounds great, that is until you see the results.  You often get what you pay for, and you often have to hire two or three companies if you go the low cost route.

Take A Good Long Look At Their Website

For the firms that are ranked in the top three spots in the organic rankings section on Google. take a few moments and look at their websites. Do they look professional.  Do they have case studies? Do they have the credentials?

If you like what you see then take a deeper look at the company.  If you do not like what you see, then move on.

Do They Work Out Of Their Home Or Global

What if you live and work in the UK versus the USA, does it , matter when you conduct your Google search?  Yes it does if you are looking for a local Excel consultant or programmer versus working with one on a remote basis. Not saying remote is bad, as it is not, it is the norm in the niche, but still better to look for those companies in both markets. You will quickly find just a few that meet that criteria.

How Long Do You Wait?

If you called the company, did they answer the phone or did it go to voicemail? If it went to voicemail how much time did they take to respond to you?

If you used the contact form to submit your needs, or if you emailed them, did they responded to within minutes, hours or days.

How responsive are they are can tell you a lot about the company, and if they should be considered.

Get A Statment Of Work

This is very important, make sure to get what work will be done in writing. Usually called a statement of work (SOW) or project scope. Make sure it includes what you want to have done, and make sure to ask any and all the questions you have.  This helps to prevent misunderstandings.

Who Do You Want To Hire

Okay, so you have taken the time to determine which company to hire, what hiring them will cost, and how long it will take to have the work done. Now your decision has been made and it is time to move forward.

Do You Need A Contract For The Project

Not only is it important to know what the project will cost you it is also important that you have a signed project agreement. This will include details on the project, the statement of work and the costs of the work.

When And How To Make

What payment options do you have? Larger companies will of course have more payment options. They usually include:

• PayPal.
• Visa, MasterCard.
• Company checks.
• ACH payments.
• Wires.

In addition to how you may pay, how much will you be asked to pay upfront (Retainer), weekly, on delivery, etc.

Make sure to have these details in your project agreement.

Both, Satisfaction and Bugs

So is there a satisfaction guarantee?  What about a guarantee against bugs.  If so, what do they cover, and are there limitations.

Typically the company will deliver the application when it is complete, but that does not mean the work is done.  Usually the company will ask you to test the work, and let them know if changes/tweaks are needed.  There may be several rounds of this before the project id done.

Is there ongoing support

Make sure the company will be there when you need support, be it making changes/additions to your work, or fixing bugs.

How long have they been around, and how long will they be around so that they will be there should you need them.

If You Need Additional Help

Would you work with them again? Hiring them once, and getting the application you were looking for is one thing, wanting to work with them again is a whole different thing.

I often say a company may hire you once, maybe twice, but it is the number of companies that hire you the third time that tells the tell.  Microsoft, Red Bull and Staples for example are companies that have worked with us three times or more. Why, because we make sure to deliver.  Make sure the company you want to hire has delivered to big name clients again and again.

When you look at their testimonials, do they say they would hire the company again, and do they recommend the company?

Superior Excel Consulting Services

Why should you hire us for our superior Excel consulting services? Because we have been delivering the goods successfully since 1994, that is 22 years and counting.  Even more amazing we have been a Microsoft Certified Partner the entire time, out of our Irvine California office, right in the center of Orange County.