© JANE FRANKLIN 2008

The > PRCA’s Consultancy Management Standard is a quality accreditation based on the ISO 9000 and Investors in People standards and tailored to the PR industry. More than just a rubber stamp of the quality of client service, undergoing CMS is often the only experience of management consultancy an agency gets.

The process of preparing for CMS can help agencies to tighten up on quality, professionalism, profitability and corporate governance in order to grow financially, to win new clients, to attract and retain talent.

No pain, no gain though. Consultancies tend to strive for excellence, but keeping best practice management up in a busy agency can be a challenge, making audit preparation tough. 

Busy-ness aside, valuable billable consultants aren’t always easy to divert away from the revenue-generating activities of client service and new business development. While working on the business might drive profitability, working in the business is seen to directly drive revenue and often takes priority.

That is where the CMS Preparation Service comes in. The service is aimed at PRCA and non-PRCA members alike and can be tailored to suit your needs. It includes:

  • Mock audits and assessment
  • Preparation Plan development
  • Hands-on project management
  • Setting up systems in readiness for a future audit/membership of PRCA
  • Applying quality principles to agency- and client-management irrespective of plans to join the industry body
As an independent consultant with first hand experience of project managing agencies through CMS with flying colours, and as an external cost, I can help agencies prepare for the audit while keeping the impact on available billable hours to a minimum.