Reference subscription: small business advisory, monthly sessions and written questions

Situations suited to small business advisory

• The manager of a small organisation wishes to check its courses of action at regular intervals.
• Day-to-day questions are accumulating, without justifying a dedicated assignment.
• A young company is defining its annual priorities and seeks monitoring indicators.
• An association uses operational tools and also wishes to have assistance in completing them.
• The manager of an SME also wishes to have a periodic review of the company’s priorities and indicators.

Process

1. Subscription and opening of the workspace. The subscription begins with sign-up, under special terms. ASKonsult then opens a secure exchange space.
2. Opening session. An initial 60-minute session sets the priorities for the year. It also defines the monitoring indicators.
3. Monthly volume. Each month, the subscriber has one 60-minute session and four written questions. Each question covers a single topic, and the answer is two pages at most.
4. Answers to written questions. ASKonsult answers within five working days of receipt of the relevant information.
5. Access to tools and the portal. The subscriber has access to three operational tools per quarter, chosen from the kits, management workbooks, templates and outlines in the catalogue. The subscriber also has one user account on the interactive portal.
6. Half-yearly review. Finally, a review re-examines the priorities every six months. It gives rise to a review note.

Deliverable

The deliverable of the subscription first comprises the written answers, at one topic per question and two pages at most. The session records then document the points examined during the monthly sessions. Finally, a half-yearly review note records the examination of priorities and monitoring indicators. Written answers are provided within five working days. All these documents are exchanged through the secure exchange space.

Prerequisites

Small business advisory requires the designation of a contact person within the organisation. For each question, this contact person then provides the information needed for the answer. The response period therefore runs from its receipt. The subscriber is also responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information provided.

Frequently asked questions

What does the interactive portal offer?

The interactive portal offers automated assistance in completing tools and frameworks. It explains the sections, clarifies what is expected and checks the completeness of the answers. However, the assistance does not issue any opinion and does not assess any particular situation. It prepares the work that the firm analyses and validates. Access is personal and limited to one user account.

Are unused questions carried over?

No. The monthly volume includes one 60-minute session and four written questions. It consists of fixed quantities: questions not used in a given month are not carried over. Each question covers a single topic, and the answer is two pages at most. In addition, the consultations in the catalogue remain available as a complement.

What is the commitment period?

The small business advisory offered by the Reference tier is based on a six-month commitment. At the end of this period, renewal becomes monthly. The special terms specify the tier, the commitment period and the terms of renewal and termination. In the event of conflict, they prevail over the general terms and conditions of sale.

Does the subscription cover consultations and packages?

No. Consultations and packages are subject to separate orders, according to the catalogue. The subscription covers day-to-day questions and the checking of courses of action. A defined question, on the other hand, calls for a consultation, while a topic requiring structured work calls for a package. The subscription also excludes any representation and any drafting of legal instruments.

Does the information provided remain confidential?

ASKonsult treats as confidential the information provided in support of each question. This information is exchanged only through the secure exchange space and is used solely for the purposes of the subscription. This obligation also survives the end of the relationship. On the interactive portal, entries are further limited to the information needed to complete the tool.

What follows as needs evolve?

As activity grows, the Steering subscription (A-02) raises the volume to two sessions and ten written questions per month. Conversely, the Essential subscription (A-00) meets a lighter need. In addition, the Strategic diagnostic and roadmap package (K-01) is a possible next step when priorities call for structured work.

Out of scope

The small business advisory offered by the Reference subscription includes neither consultations nor packages, which are subject to separate orders. It also excludes any representation before an authority or a court. The drafting of legal instruments likewise remains outside the tier. Finally, questions not used in a given month are not carried over to the following period.