In the Search for Professional Services, Caring is as Important as Knowledge

In the search to find the best professional service providers such as attorneys, accountants, consultants, investment advisors, and real estate brokers, nonprofits often overemphasize subject matter expertise and knowledge. However, if the service provider does not display a caring attitude and willingness to understand the organization’s unique needs, mission, and culture, the results will not be what the organization expected.

Most nonprofit organizations will eventually need to seek assistance from outside professional service providers. I have observed many organizations being caught off guard by “less than optimal” results when they were sure they had selected the “best” and most experienced service provider from a highly reputable firm. The missing ingredient was usually a caring disposition by the service provider.

he most common mistake I have observed is overemphasizing situation-specific knowledge and expertise in the search process. This can lead to a false sense of security that a strong resume is all that is needed to find the right professional service provider. The resume, along with website information and other marketing materials, is merely a starting point. To get the best results, an organization must make a caring disposition a must-have criterion, just like knowledge and demonstrated expertise.

How do you ensure that the service provider has a caring disposition?

The answer lies within the nonprofit organization’s selection and interview process. It is crucial to use front-end due diligence questions that probe for a caring disposition and schedule interviews (in-person when possible) that allow for the two-way sharing of information.

Avoid one-sided interviews where one party does all the talking. Strive to alternate information sharing and questioning. A successful tactic is to prepare a meeting interview agenda with sections for both parties to provide relevant background information followed by a section to describe specific needs, problems to solve, or challenges to address. The remainder of the agenda should be reserved for two-way questioning by each party with plenty of time for follow-up questions. This is where signs of a caring disposition can be observed.

Focus the interview on answering the who, what, and where questions. Who is for the service provider and how their knowledge, expertise, and relevant experiences align with the organization’s needs.  What is for discussing the challenges or problems to solve. Where is reserved for the destination, where success lies, what success looks like, and the future benefits to be realized by the organization.

A service provider who is open to exploring different approaches and determining what is best for the organization is a service provider who cares. Finding the best possible solutions that are aligned with the needs, mission, and culture of the organization can only happen if the organization’s best interests are the service provider’s number one priority.

Planning Tip – Do not use requests for proposals (RFPs) for vetting technical knowledge and expertise. Only firms that you know have the required expertise should be on a list of potential RFP applicants. An organization that sends RFPs for professional services to random unknown firms is casting too wide a net. Before sending out RFPs, research through internet searches, referrals from colleagues, industry support groups, and listservs to find firms that have the required expertise and experience providing services to match your organization’s profile and needs. Concentrate the RFP on trying to find a high level of customer service, a caring disposition, and willingness to be a working partner to meet future needs.

Even when looking for highly specialized technical services, empathy and compassion play an important role. You know a service provider has a caring attitude if they use “we” when discussing solutions and suggesting new tactics instead of saying “you” should do this or that. This shows they consider themselves part of your team as a working partner with an eye on the future. When they refer to solutions using “you,” they often have a “one and done” perspective.