How to check a consultant has fixed operations like yours before

When you're about to spend months and serious money fixing how your business runs, there's a gap between what a consultant claims to have done and what actually happened. They might describe past successes in a way that sounds relevant until you dig deeper. The tension is real: you need someone with proven hands-on experience in your type of operation, but verifying that claim takes discipline.

Your job is to move beyond the pitch. A consultant who has genuinely fixed operations like yours will have concrete proof. A consultant who hasn't will tend to speak in generalities—improvement frameworks, best-practice methodology, industry insights—without tying it to the specifics of your setup.

Search their trail in business records

Start with what's public. If the consultant runs a registered business, check CIPC for their company profile and directorships. Look at their LinkedIn history for the companies they've named. Read their stated start and end dates in previous roles. If they say they spent three years improving operations at a manufacturing firm, verify they were actually there during that window. Cross-check the timeline—if they left in 2018 but are citing a 2019 turnaround, something doesn't fit.

Google the consultant's name paired with past clients they mention. Do write-ups or case studies exist? Not all consultants publish their work, but those who do tend to have something to show. Look for mentions in business publications, podcasts or conference speaker bios. These rarely appear unless there's genuine track record behind them.

If they hold relevant certifications—membership in a professional body like SAACCA or SAMAN—check their registration directly with the issuing body. It takes two minutes and confirms they maintain standing. Ask for their registration number unprompted; the answer matters less than how quickly they provide it.

Get names and phone the people who hired them

Demand references from clients in your sector or of similar scale. Not generic testimonials or names of people you should call "if you want more info." Specific names of real people—usually the owner or operations head—whom you can reach within a day.

When you call, ask narrow questions tied to your situation, not just "Were they good?" Ask:

• What specific bottleneck did the consultant target, and what was the business state before?
• How long did the actual improvement take, and what did it cost them?
• Did the changes stick, or did things slip back after the engagement?
• If you hired them again for a second project, what was different the second time?
• What surprised you—good or bad—about how they work?

If a reference struggles to describe the concrete work or says something like "They were fine, very professional" without detail, they may not have been closely involved or the impact was mild. A strong reference will remember friction points and specific wins.

Be wary if references are all from large corporates when your business is small, or all from retail when you run manufacturing. The skills don't always transfer cleanly. Ask the consultant directly: "Of your references, who is most similar to us in scale and sector?" and then definitely call that person.

If a consultant resists giving you direct contact details or offers only email introductions, ask why. The best ones will give you names and phone numbers without friction.

Check what they'll commit to in writing

Ask the consultant to outline what specific outcomes they've seen in comparable situations. Can they write it down? A consultant confident in their track record will describe, in your proposal or a preliminary scope, what they typically find in a business like yours and what realistic improvement looks like. Vague language—"streamline processes," "enhance efficiency"—is a warning sign. Specific language—"reduce order-to-fulfilment time from 14 days to 8," "cut unnecessary approvals from five steps to two"—tells you they know what they're looking for.

Don't assume expertise. Ask how many businesses exactly like yours they've actually worked in, and get those names before you hire them. Consultants with genuine fixed-operations experience will have a small roster of recent, very similar clients they're proud to share.

When you're ready to move forward, Strove's verified consultants come with profiles you can examine, and the platform makes it straightforward to check references through the booking process itself.