Client Case Study - Specialist help needed

“I found exactly the help I was looking for with no fuss or commission”

Michael Quinlan owns Foxmaurice Ltd, a company that designs and manufactures office furniture to a very high specification. Their new product incorporates an innovative approach to security, disaster recovery and ergonomics and combines good furniture design with the needs of the hi-tech office user. The product has been shown at international trade fairs and has attracted a lot of attention, but to move into full production Michael needed to attract grant funding. His experience in this particular arena was limited so he recognised that he needed to take on professional help if the project was to succeed.

Michael needed to find a consultant with marketing expertise specifically with experience in grant funding applications. Skillfair had been recommended to Michael by his local Chartered Institute of Marketing contact, so he placed the project as a guest client taking advantage of the initial free project offer.

When he posted the project Michael wasn’t overly specific in his requirements but as he says ‘I knew that I needed certain qualities in a consultant, most importantly I wanted to be on the same wave length and to be able to speak openly and frankly with whoever I chose’. Trying to find the right individual through an internet based service was a tall order, but Michael thought it worth a try especially as he had been given such a strong recommendation. His faith in the system was vindicated and he found a consultant who he could communicate with, who knew what he was talking about and who had exactly the right experience.

As to his experience of using Skillfair; he found it to be pain free. He needed help with the wording of the project but found managing his contacts easy using Skillfair’s contact management system and short listing was therefore made simple.

“I would turn to Skillfair first whenever I need the services of an independent consultant as I found just what I was looking for first time without any fuss and moreover it was completely free with no hidden agenda.”