E-business is big business these days, as the proliferation of ecommerce consultants and integrators will attest. Some of the top names are in such demand right now that they are turning down more work than they take on. And few deign to participate in a traditional Request for Proposal (RFP) process.

RFPs have in fact become something of a 90s advertising agency relic. Few ecommerce consultants are willing to devote staff to such a time-consuming process. The top consultants have enough billable work already without having to compete for it.

The tables have turned, and it is now up to you - the client - to do most of the work in selecting a consultant.

"Acid Tests" - and the Growing Role of the CIO

Many ecommerce consultants and integrators claim to be "end-to-end solutions providers." Yet some of these are little more than advanced web design shops eager to enter a more lucrative market.

Forrester Research analysts Christine Spivey Overby and Paul Sonderegger recommend that every ecommerce consultant and integrator be held to the same acid tests. These include getting to market fast, delivering a good user experience, and implementing bulletproof commerce platforms. Consultants also need to understand how to expand their services as the ecommerce industry evolves.

That is why CIOs and IT managers are playing an increasingly important role in choosing the ecommerce consultant. It used to be that marketing VP-types made the final selection with little input from the company's IT department. Yet marketing execs often do not fully understand the time and expertise needed to carry out the most complicated technical objectives of the ecommerce initiative. The CIO can offer a reality check and act as a bridge between marketing and IT.

A strong CIO or IT manager will need to consider the long-term, company-wide implications, says "virtual CEO" Randy Komisar, who has held CEO and other top positions with Claris, Crystal Dynamics and Apple Computer, and advises other companies. "They will have to make critical choices about the technology architecture and service elements."

Marketing may control the final decision, but IT should make itself heard by offering advice and recommendations. Few marketers understand the benefits and limitations of particular languages, development tools, methodologies and hardware platforms, says ecommerce expert R.M. Erik Gordon, director of the University of Florida's Center for Retailing Education and Research. "A marketer would be crazy to decide on an integrator/consultant without the help of his or her in-house technical people."

Things to Look for

When selecting an ecommerce consultant or integrator, you should ask for "a solid needs analysis and scoping document," advises Christine Harmel of The Interactive Resource, a company that matches companies with ecommerce consultants and website developers. "It should be the integrator who specs out the project thoroughly and offers options and explanations of the different choices, costs and limitations of each."

Another important tool that the consultant should bring to the table is good project management. Building a website, no matter how carefully scoped will always include some surprises, adjustments or other unforeseeable factors and events, Harmel notes.

Yet there is a way to make the entire process far less painful and less likely to result in an overtime or over-budget project. Harmel recommends a consultant who offers " a reasonable project timeline, schedule of deliverables and [a true understanding] of how the client's company operates in terms of decision-making, politics, expectations, timeline and flexibility." A trustworthy consultant-client relationship is an essential part of this.

Other things to look for are speed and reliability, as well as sound architecture and component selection. You also want to see examples of a consultant's work for other clients, and determine if the consultant focuses on design rather than on the entire user experience.

Sure, it sounds great that your integrator candidate created a full ecommerce site for a Fortune 500 company. Yet when you visit the client website, all you see are frames - a circa 1996 design device that often infuriates potential customers.

Even if the site is a good one, it may be much wider in scope than your own company's planned effort. You may have a much shorter timeframe, and you need proof that the ecommerce consultant can indeed work within it. You cannot afford missed launch dates.

"Time is more critical now than ever, and being late can destroy the value of what could have been a good product - not to mention the credibility and stock value of the client," notes Gordon.

Mistakes to Avoid

One pitfall to avoid when choosing an ecommerce consultant is overpaying for a site - and not paying enough.

The big names in ecommerce integration do not come cheap, and often prefer to work only with large companies. The smaller consultants, on the other hand, look like a bargain in comparison. Yet you may get what you pay for, warns Komisar.

"The [smaller, cheaper integrators]… often can't hit a nail straight, and the whole thing comes tumbling down soon after they've left - if it ever stands in the first place," he notes. Instead, he recommends that when shopping for a consultant be sure to research the track record and references of the people - not just the company - you select.

Also, be careful not to fall under the spell of a slick sales presentation. Some consultants are fantastic presenters, but lack the wherewithal to actually produce what they are proposing to do. Others offer only what Gordon calls a "cookie-cutter approach" - which allows them to throw young, barely-trained, inexperienced IT staffers on the project.

Insist upon meeting the specific individuals who will actually be in charge of your project, and demand that it not be handed over to a different team once you have signed on the dotted line.

Gordon warns against these additional pitfalls:

• Do not expect the consultant/integrator to produce a good system if they do not completely understand what the system is really supposed to do.
• Do not create a "nobody is in charge" situation in which your marketing department instructs the consultant to do one thing while your IT department orders them to do another. That makes it harder for the consultant/integrator to still be able to deliver what you want.

In the end, choosing a good ecommerce consultant involves good instincts and just plain common sense. Says Komisar: "Make sure of their commitment and dedication to your company and its needs, and spend the time up front to set clear objectives. Monitor progress closely during the project, and address issues early."