Preliminary Client Questionnaire for HR Consultants

This Preliminary Client Questionnaire​ template is a comprehensive questionnaire presented to the client once the HR Consultant is hired. The questionnaire provides the HR Consultant with key information about the client and their existing HR processes to help determine project requirements.
 

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Overview

Elite consultants know how to ask the right questions — and when to ask them.

Good, deep, thorough questions are a consultants best friend. Anybody thinks they can ask questions. But elite consultants know how to ask questions that show they are the expert, uncover their clients true needs, and demonstrate the value they’ll bring to the client’s business.

This template includes a comprehensive list of great questions that will help you to be seen as a trusted advisor by clients. The more comfortable you become asking deep meaningful questions, the more confident you’ll become, and the more you’ll learn about what people actually want. Use the questions below to help structure your kick-off meetings with clients.

Take them, tweak them, and make them your own.

Why Use the Preliminary Client Questionnaire

• To capture key information about a client and their HR needs.

Benefits of the Preliminary Client Questionnaire​

• Provides insight into the client's business, including its structure and hierarchy, and the way in which it operates.
• Allows HR Consultant to quickly identify areas of the HR function that are missing or need improvement, and propose a strategy for working towards HR goals.

Download the Preliminary Client Questionnaire

Download the Preliminary Client Questionnaire! This template is included in the HR Consulting Kit, a comprehensive kit that features templates & best practices to set up & manage your HR consulting practice.

Tips for working with the Preliminary Client Questionnaire

• Your main role in this exercise is to listen (of course, after you've asked the questions!). 
• It may serve you well to record the meeting, a feature available in a Zoom or other web conferencing software, so that you're not distracted with furious note writing and can focus on the conversation and ask follow on questions. Always ask for permission prior to recording the session and explain that it's to their benefit.  
• Prepare for the session by reading up on the company even if you have done so in the past before getting the contract. You can find lots of information on the corporate website and news/social media. It helps to show to your client that you are well prepared and have a keen interest to help the company make improvements.
• Use probing questions to dig dipper into a subject. It's best not to brush over a vague or unclear answer. It's your job and your client is paying you to understand. Probing is a learned skill and is very useful in drawing out information from your respondent without providing hints or recommendations. Check out this short article on Probing.