Q. Can I call the consultant directly or do I have to go through TEN?

A. You always have the option of calling the consultant directly. The Educators Network will confirm assignments in writing and invoice the work.

Q. Can I speak with the consultant before committing?

A. We encourage you to speak with the consultant before making your decision and will arrange a conference call for you at a mutually convenient time.

Q. Do I work directly with the consultant?

A. Once we identify together who is most likely the right consultant for you, we put you directly in touch with him/her. You can then contact the consultant or us, when you can’t reach the consultant. The Educators Network will confirm assignments in writing and invoice for work. 

Q. Is there a finder’s fee?

A. There is no finder’s fee except in cases where you ask us to locate a consultant who does not accept a fee. If that consultant is booked by your organization, we do charge a finder’s fee to cover our time. 

Q. Are expenses in addition to the fee?

A. Expenses are always in addition to the fee unless a special, all-inclusive amount is negotiated directly with the consultant. 

Q. Why is one consultant so much more money than another?

A. Each of our associates has his/her own fee structure. It is usually based on experience, reputation and popularity of the person and his/her topic. 

Q. Will the consultant allow our organization to order his/her airline ticket? 

A. In most cases the consultant will allow the organization to arrange for and order his/her ticket. However there are exceptions to this.

Q. Do I have to pay for two days if my program begins one afternoon and continues only till noon on the second day? 

A. If the consultant must devote any part of a day to a program, he/she is not free to take other assignments for that day. Therefore, the individual must charge for both days. However, there is often a discount on the two days. 

Q. Will the consultant work for expenses only when the audience contains a great number of potential customers? 

A. Almost never. This would be an opportunity cost for the consultant. 

Q. Do I have to pay for a consultant to meet with me before I make a decision to engage?

A. It depends on the consultant. Often there is no charge. Sometimes there is a charge for expenses only. In other cases there is a charge for time as well as expenses. We will always tell you what costs are involved, if any, before we arrange for a meeting. 

Q. How is The Educators Network paid if we aren’t paying a surcharge above the person’s regular fee? 

A. Since we are providing marketing support for the consultant, he/she considers our services a ” cost of sale”, and we take a percentage of the assignments we arrange. There is no surcharge on the expert’s normal fee. You pay exactly what you would have, had the consultant been contacted directly. The only exception to this might be in the case of a nationally known speaker who has been specifically requested by you, and requires a surcharge. 

Q. How do you find these consultants and make certain they are good?

A. We carefully screen everyone before accepting them into The Network. We do this by meeting with the candidate for at least two hours, attending a presentation to note the audience reaction and to determine for ourselves the quality of the material and the presentation. Then we call at least eight references and have extensive discussions about the work which the candidate has completed for each. Only after satisfying ourselves on all fronts do we agree to accept the person into The Network. 

Q. Why should I go through The Educators Network instead of contacting consultants directly? 

A. You can be certain that we will listen carefully to your needs and suggest only candidates who are a good match. We are noted for our customer service and our ethics. In addition you can always rely on obtaining highly qualified consultants.