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About WMS
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
What or who is WMS?
Who are WMS’ people?
Why are you a not-for-profit organization?
Does not-for-profit mean free?
What does your federal funding mean?
How are your services priced?
What are your hourly rates?
Can we pay for the project with grant money?
How do you compare to Community Colleges and others who provide “free” services using grant funding?
How do you determine how to help clients?
If an assessment is warranted, do you charge for the service?
What services do you provide?
What or who is WMS?
A private not-for-profit consulting firm that is great at making companies more competitive and profitable. Our mission is to keep and help grow small and medium manufacturers in Washington State.
Who are WMS’ people?
On average, our team has 25 years of experience in varied disciplines. Many of our people are former company owners and business managers or employed as plant/operations managers or entrepreneurs. We partner with a preferred stable of experienced resource affiliates and are part of a national network of more than 1500 consultants.
Why are you a not-for-profit organization?
Small to medium manufacturers have traditionally been underserved in receiving consulting help. Our status allows us to offset business costs with state and federal money in order to provide high-quality services to this sector.
Does not-for-profit mean free?
No, we charge for our services. Our clients have experienced a return-on-investment (ROI) of three to one, or more. This ROI is verified by an independent survey.
What does your federal funding mean?
Federal funding is used by WMS for administration, sales and marketing purposes. The high cost of doing business with the small and medium manufacturing market has meant that this sector is traditionally underserved by professional services. A benefit of this funding is that the government conducts an independent survey of all the companies that we serve. The survey verifies quality and the value delivered to our customers.
How are your services priced?
We typically quote a fixed fee, based on project requirements. Our fees are competitive with experienced consultants.
What are your hourly rates?
We typically price on a fixed fee basis, rather than by the hour. In time and materials situations, our hourly fees are very competitive with experienced consultants, ranging between $100 to $200 per hour, depending on the skill needed and the experience of the consultant.
Can we pay for the project with grant money?
In some situations, state or federal money may offset part or the entire project. Once we have scoped the project, we can determine if this funding is appropriate and if your company is eligible.
How do you compare to Community Colleges and others who provide “free” services using grant funding?
Many use the funding solely for a training approach. WMS goes further because training-only projects lose their impact. We use the funding for training and consulting engagements to assure that businesses improve. Our experience shows that training must be paired with implementation to achieve lasting impact.
How do you determine how to help clients?
Our services are crafted to meet each client’s unique needs. We will discuss your business challenges, identify potential improvement areas, and propose a project that improves your bottom line. (Our independent survey shows a three to one or better ROI.)
In some cases, business challenges are complex or multiple. Then, we will propose a formal assessment to identify how to move forward.
If an assessment is warranted, do you charge for the service?
Yes.
What services do you provide?
We provide solutions that address business problems. The only things we do not provide are legal or accounting services. Our tool kit includes Lean process improvement, quality management, and supply-chain management, sales and marketing.
