You’ve decided you need help with Yardi. Maybe you’re implementing for the first time and want guidance beyond what Yardi provides. Maybe you’re struggling to get value from modules you’ve already licensed. Maybe you need specialized expertise for a specific project or ongoing support your internal team can’t provide.
Whatever the situation, you’re now faced with a decision: which Yardi consulting partnershould you work with?
The choice matters more than many organizations realize. A good consulting partner accelerates your success, transfers knowledge to your team, and becomes a valuable long-term resource. A poor fit wastes money, creates frustration, and can leave you worse off than before.
As a Yardi consulting firm that’s been on the winning and losing sides of these decisions, we have perspective on what makes engagements succeed. Here’s what you should consider when evaluating potential partners.
Verify Actual Yardi Experience
This seems obvious but requires careful attention. Many consulting firms list Yardi among their capabilities but lack deep expertise.
Look for membership in the Yardi Independent Consulting Network. This Yardi-recognized program validates that consultants meet Yardi’s standards for expertise and professionalism. ND Consulting is a proud member of this network, which reflects our commitment to maintaining Yardi-specific capabilities.
Ask about specific module experience relevant to your needs. A consultant with excellent commercial expertise may not be the right choice for an affordable housing implementation. Verify that they have depth in the areas where you need help.
Inquire about team composition. Will senior experts work on your project, or will they sell the engagement and hand off to junior staff? Understanding who actually does the work matters.
Request client references in situations similar to yours. Speaking with organizations who’ve worked with the consultant on comparable projects provides real-world validation.
Evaluate Property Management Understanding
Yardi expertise alone isn’t enough. Your consultant also needs to understand property management operations.
The best Yardi consultants often have property management backgrounds themselves. At ND Consulting, our team includes people who’ve worked in property management, accounting, and operations roles before becoming consultants. This background informs everything we do.
A consultant who understands your business can translate your requirements into system solutions. One who only knows the technical side may implement exactly what you asked for without recognizing better approaches.
Property type experience matters. Commercial property management differs from residential which differs from affordable housing which differs from single-family. Ensure your consultant understands the specific operational context of your portfolio.
Consider Size and Availability
Consulting firms range from individual practitioners to large organizations with dozens of consultants. Each model has trade-offs.
Large firms offer breadth of resources but may prioritize bigger clients. Your project might get handed to whoever’s available rather than whoever’s best suited. You may interact primarily with account managers rather than practitioners.
Small firms typically offer more personal attention and consistency. You work with the same people who understand your environment over time. However, availability can be more limited during busy periods.
At ND Consulting, we’ve deliberately maintained a boutique model that allows us to develop deep relationships with clients while providing responsive, expert service. We’re small enough to be agile yet experienced enough to handle complex projects effectively.
Assess Communication and Approach
How a consultant engages during the sales process often predicts how they’ll behave during the engagement.
Do they listen more than they talk? A consultant who jumps to solutions before fully understanding your situation may create more problems than they solve.
Do they ask probing questions? Good consultants dig into your context, challenges, and objectives rather than offering generic pitches.
Are they honest about limitations? No consultant is expert in everything. One who claims to be probably isn’t. Better to acknowledge gaps and bring in specialized help when needed.
Do they focus on your success or their services? The best consultants prioritize outcomes over billing hours. They’ll tell you when something is outside the scope of what they can help with.
Understand Service Model and Pricing
Different consultants structure their services differently. Understanding these differences helps you compare options fairly.
Project-based engagements define scope, timeline, and cost upfront. This model works well for implementations and specific initiatives with clear boundaries.
Time and materials arrangements bill actual hours at agreed rates. This model provides flexibility for undefined or evolving scopes but requires trust and monitoring.
Managed services provide ongoing support for fixed monthly fees. This model works well for organizations needing consistent access to expertise without maintaining internal staff.
Don’t choose solely on price. The cheapest option often isn’t the best value. Consider the total cost including your internal time, risk of rework, and opportunity cost of delays.
Look for Knowledge Transfer Commitment
The best consulting engagements leave your organization more capable than before. This requires intentional knowledge transfer.
Ask how they approach training and documentation. Will your team understand what was done and why? Will you be able to maintain and extend the work after the engagement?
Beware consultants who create dependency. Some firms benefit from keeping clients reliant on them. Ethical consultants build client capabilities rather than perpetuating needs for their services.
At ND Consulting, we consider knowledge transfer integral to every engagement. Our goal is making you successful with Yardi, not making you dependent on us.
Why Organizations Choose ND Consulting
While this guide aims to help you evaluate any potential partner objectively, we’re obviously proud of what distinguishes ND Consulting.
We’re Yardi Independent Consulting Network members, reflecting Yardi’s confidence in our expertise and professionalism.
Our mission is clear: helping clients maximize return on their Yardi investment. Everything we do serves that goal.
We’re known as “The Yardi Experts” for good reason. Our team brings deep experience across Yardi modules including residential, commercial, affordable housing, single family, and the full range of accounting and operational functions.
We prioritize relationships over transactions. Many of our client relationships span years because we deliver consistent value and treat every engagement as an investment in a long-term partnership.
We’re responsive and accessible. As a boutique firm, we can be reached when you need us. Problems don’t wait for scheduled check-ins.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selecting Yardi Consultants
What’s the difference between Yardi’s services and independent consultants?
Yardi offers professional services directly. Independent consultants like ND Consulting provide alternative options that some organizations prefer for flexibility, specialized expertise, ongoing support models, or simply having an advocate who works exclusively for you rather than the software vendor.
How do we know if we need a consultant or can figure it out ourselves?
Consider the complexity of your initiative, your internal team’s available time and expertise, the cost of getting it wrong, and the opportunity cost of slow execution. For significant projects, the right consultant often pays for themselves through faster completion and better outcomes.
What should we have ready before engaging a consultant?
Clear understanding of your objectives, stakeholder alignment on priorities, realistic timelines and budgets, and designated internal resources to work with the consultant. The more prepared you are, the more effective the engagement.
Let’s Talk About Your Yardi Needs
Whether you’re evaluating multiple consultants or just starting to explore your options, we’re happy to discuss your situation. There’s no pressure—if we’re not the right fit, we’ll tell you.
Contact ND Consulting at 404-590-8547 or info@ndconsultingllc.com to start the conversation.
