Working with AI Consultants in Sydney: Maximising ROI
Hiring an AI consultant is easy. Getting value from them is harder.
I've seen companies spend six figures on AI consulting and have nothing to show for it. I've also seen modest engagements deliver transformational results. The difference isn't budget—it's approach.
Here's how to maximise ROI when working with AI consultants in Sydney.
Before the Engagement
Know What You Want (At Least Roughly)
Don't expect consultants to tell you where to use AI. You know your business. They know AI. The magic happens when you bring both.
Before talking to consultants:
- Identify 3-5 pain points that might benefit from AI
- Quantify them roughly (time, cost, error rate)
- Know who would own an AI initiative internally
You don't need a perfect brief. But "we want to do something with AI" is not enough.
Set Clear Expectations
Be explicit about:
- What you want delivered (outputs, not activities)
- What success looks like (metrics, not feelings)
- Who makes decisions on your side
- What constraints exist (budget, timeline, systems, regulations)
Fuzzy expectations lead to fuzzy outcomes.
Involve the Right People
AI consulting engagements fail when:
- Only IT is involved (no business context)
- Only executives are involved (no operational detail)
- Nobody with authority is involved (can't make decisions)
You need: an executive sponsor, a business owner, someone who knows the current process, and someone who can make technical decisions.
During the Engagement
Be Available
Consultants can't do good work without access to:
- People who know the business
- Data they need to analyse
- Systems they need to understand
- Decision-makers when choices arise
Unresponsive clients get worse outcomes. It's that simple.
Challenge, Don't Defer
Good consultants want to be challenged. If something doesn't make sense, say so. If you disagree, express it. If you don't understand, ask.
The worst clients say "you're the expert" to everything. The best clients engage critically.
Track Progress Against Outcomes
Don't just receive status updates. Ask:
- Are we on track for the outcomes we defined?
- What risks have emerged?
- What decisions do you need from us?
- What have we learned that might change our approach?
Regular checkpoint conversations keep engagements honest.
Manage Scope Actively
Scope creep kills ROI. When consultants propose additions:
- Is this in the original scope?
- Does it increase the value enough to justify the cost?
- Can it wait for a later phase?
Good consultants flag scope issues. But you need to make the call.
Getting Value from Deliverables
Strategy Documents
AI strategy deliverables are only valuable if they lead to action.
When receiving strategy:
- Ask which recommendations have highest priority
- Get specific on next steps (who does what by when)
- Understand dependencies and prerequisites
- Challenge recommendations you don't think will fly internally
A strategy document that sits on a shelf delivered negative ROI.
Proof of Concepts
PoCs should answer specific questions. When receiving PoC results:
- Did it answer the questions we set out to answer?
- What did we learn that was unexpected?
- What's the honest assessment of production viability?
- What would change if we were to build this for real?
A successful PoC that you don't act on is wasted. A failed PoC that teaches you something is valuable.
Production Systems
When receiving production AI systems:
- Get thorough documentation (not just code comments)
- Ensure knowledge transfer to your team
- Understand ongoing costs and maintenance needs
- Have clear support arrangements
You'll own this after the consultants leave. Make sure you can.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Buying Hours, Not Outcomes
"We engaged them for 200 hours" tells you nothing about value.
Better: "We engaged them to answer whether AI can reduce our document processing cost by 50%." That you can evaluate.
Mistake 2: Outsourcing Thinking
Consultants can advise, analyse, and recommend. They can't make business decisions for you. They don't live with the consequences.
If you're expecting the consultant to decide whether to proceed, you've outsourced too much.
Mistake 3: Ignoring Culture
AI initiatives fail more often from change resistance than technical issues. If your consultant isn't talking about how to get people on board, they're missing a big piece.
Mistake 4: No Internal Capability Building
If the consultants leave and you can't operate what they built, you'll be back hiring consultants forever.
Every engagement should include knowledge transfer. Your team should be more capable at the end.
Mistake 5: One-and-Done Mentality
AI isn't a project—it's a capability. The first engagement should be the start of building internal AI capability, not a one-time intervention.
Getting the Most from Sydney AI Consultants
Sydney has strong AI consulting options across the spectrum. To maximize value:
For Discovery/Strategy Engagements
- Define specific decisions you need to make
- Ensure recommendations are actionable, not theoretical
- Get clear prioritisation, not just a list
- Include implementation planning, not just strategy
For PoC/Pilot Engagements
- Set clear success criteria before starting
- Use real data (not made-up scenarios)
- Plan the decision process if PoC succeeds
- Budget for iteration, not just initial build
For Implementation Engagements
- Involve your team, don't just spectate
- Plan for support and maintenance from day one
- Define acceptance criteria clearly
- Include training and documentation
Measuring Engagement Success
At the end of any engagement, you should be able to answer:
Value delivered:
- What specific outcomes were achieved?
- How do they compare to what was promised?
- What unexpected value emerged?
Capability built:
- What can your team now do that they couldn't before?
- What knowledge was transferred?
- How self-sufficient are you going forward?
Relationship quality:
- Would you work with this firm again?
- Did they tell you hard truths, or just what you wanted to hear?
- Did they manage the engagement professionally?
Our Approach
When we work with clients as Sydney AI consultants, we focus on:
- Outcomes over activities: We're accountable for results, not hours
- Knowledge transfer: Your team should be more capable at the end
- Honest advice: Including telling you when not to do something
- Practical focus: Things that can actually be implemented
We're not the right fit for every engagement. But we're happy to discuss whether we can help with yours.