Organisations across industries now depend on SharePoint as their central nervous system – a platform where collaboration happens, workflows automate, and information flows seamlessly across departments.
Yet, here’s the challenge: deploying SharePoint successfully requires far more than purchasing licences and flipping a switch. You need expertise, strategic planning, and in-depth technical knowledge to shape the platform around your specific business processes.
A SharePoint expert consultant becomes your guide through this complexity, translating your business requirements into a functional digital workspace. The question isn’t whether you need a consultant – it’s how to find the right one.
So, whether you’re seeking a SharePoint intranet consultant or a SharePoint implementation consultant, this guide will help you make an informed, confident choice.
Are you looking for specific SharePoint requirements?
1. Define Your Project Scope Clearly: The First Step With A SharePoint Expert Consultant
Before you evaluate a single consulting firm, you need absolute clarity about what you’re trying to achieve. Vague objectives like “we want better collaboration” or “we need to modernise our intranet” won’t cut it. Define specific outcomes: Are you consolidating disparate systems? Building custom workflows? Creating a knowledge management hub? Enabling remote work?
Your goals shape every decision that follows. The biggest consulting firm with the flashiest portfolio isn’t automatically your best option. What matters most is alignment between their strengths and your needs.
Consider the following when defining your scope:
- Outline Business Goals: What problems do you want SharePoint to solve? Collaboration gaps? Document control? Workflow automation?
- Scale and complexity: Is your rollout for 50 users or 5,000? Does it involve simple document management or complex business process automation?
- Timeline expectations: Do you need rapid deployment or a phased approach that minimises disruption?
- Map Current Processes: Document how your teams work today and where inefficiencies exist.
- Budget parameters: What’s your realistic investment range, including post-implementation support?
- Decide on Integration Needs: Will your SharePoint environment connect with Microsoft Teams, Power BI dashboards, or legacy systems?
- Compliance and security needs: Do industry regulations dictate specific data handling requirements?
- Set Measurable KPIs: Adoption rate, time saved per process, or reduced manual data handling.
A SharePoint implementation consultant who specialises in enterprise-scale deployments might overwhelm a small business with unnecessarily complex solutions. Conversely, a consultant experienced only with basic setups will struggle with your multinational corporation’s governance requirements. Size doesn’t equal suitability – specificity does.
Your SharePoint implementation shouldn’t feel like a leap in the dark.
From planning to post-deployment support, our SharePoint consulting services provide the roadmap and expertise you need at every stage.
2. Focus on Key Expertise and Technical Depth
A SharePoint expert consultant isn’t just someone who can configure lists and libraries. The real value lies in their ability to tailor SharePoint to your business logic, compliance needs, and user workflows.
Look for consultants who show proficiency in:
- Modern SharePoint architecture: Expertise in both SharePoint Online and on-premises, with experience handling hybrid environments.
- Microsoft 365 integration: SharePoint doesn’t exist in isolation. Your consultant must know how to leverage Teams, OneDrive, Power Platform, and other Microsoft tools to create a cohesive ecosystem.
- Custom development capabilities: When out-of-the-box features don’t meet your needs, can they build custom solutions using SharePoint Framework (SPFx), Power Apps, or Power Automate?
- Migration expertise: If you’re moving from legacy systems or older versions, they must follow robust migration methodologies that protect your data and minimise downtime.
- Security and compliance knowledge: Understanding permission structures, data loss prevention, retention policies, and compliance frameworks isn’t optional—it’s essential.
- User Experience Design: A sleek, intuitive SharePoint intranet drives adoption – design matters as much as logic.
The right SharePoint intranet consultant understands not just how the platform works, but how your people work. Look for certifications like Microsoft Solutions Partner credentials or ISO-certified methodologies. However, don’t just accept credentials at face value.
During discussions, probe their problem-solving approach. Present a real challenge your organisation faces and gauge how they think through solutions. Their response reveals whether they truly understand SharePoint’s capabilities or merely repeat sales talk.
3. The Critical Role of Training and Change Management
Implementation is only half the battle. You can deploy the most sophisticated SharePoint environment imaginable, but if your employees don’t understand how to use it – or why they should – you have wasted your investment. This is where effective training and change management determine success.
A forward-thinking SharePoint implementation consultant embeds user adoption into the delivery plan, recognising that technology adoption follows a human curve, not a technical one.
Your teams need:
- Role-based training: Executives, managers, and frontline staff use SharePoint differently – training should reflect that.
- Hands-on workshops: Theoretical knowledge doesn’t stick. People learn by doing. Effective training includes interactive sessions where employees practice real tasks they’ll perform daily.
- Champion programmes: Identifying and training power users within each department creates a support network. These champions become go-to resources when colleagues have questions, reducing IT burden and accelerating adoption.
- Documentation and resources: Quick reference guides, video tutorials, and searchable knowledge bases give people self-service options when they encounter challenges.
- Ongoing support: Learning doesn’t end when the consultant leaves. Establishing mechanisms for continuous learning, lunch-and-learns, refresher sessions, and advanced workshops keeps skills sharp and engagement high.
An experienced SharePoint intranet consultant doesn’t “install and exit.” They empower your teams to make the platform their own.
4. SharePoint or the Whole Microsoft Ecosystem?
Many organisations begin thinking they need “just SharePoint,” only to realise that the full Microsoft ecosystem delivers even greater value. The question isn’t whether to use SharePoint, but how far you want to extend it.
A versatile SharePoint expert consultant helps you see that bigger picture. They evaluate how integrating SharePoint with Teams streamlines communication, how Power Automate removes repetitive manual tasks, or how Power BI delivers real-time insights.
Here are some key integration considerations:
- Automation: Build workflows with Power Automate for approvals and notifications.
- Data Insights: Connect SharePoint lists with Power BI for powerful visual reporting.
- Collaboration: Sync document libraries with Microsoft Teams for a unified workspace.
- Security: Apply consistent compliance rules across SharePoint and OneDrive.
A SharePoint intranet consultant with ecosystem expertise doesn’t just build an intranet; they architect an integrated digital workplace. This ecosystem perspective also future-proofs your investment.
Moreover, Microsoft continuously evolves its platform, introducing new capabilities and integration points. A consultant who understands the broader vision helps you build a foundation that adapts as these tools mature, rather than locking you into a rigid structure that becomes obsolete.
Great technology is wasted without a great strategy.
Our strategic SharePoint consulting focuses on long-term efficiency, security, and scalability – aligning your platform with measurable business goals.
5. Social Proof and Industry Recognition
Professional credentials and industry recognition provide valuable signals about a consulting firm’s capabilities and reliability. While not the only deciding factors, they indicate a commitment to excellence and adherence to best practices.
Look for these markers of credibility:
- Microsoft Partnership Level: Are they a Microsoft Solutions Partner or a certified provider?
- Client Case Studies: Have they delivered measurable outcomes for organisations similar to yours?
- Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 27001, or other quality and security accreditations.
- Community Presence: Do they contribute to SharePoint communities, publish articles, or host webinars?
- Reviews: Customer testimonials on their website and third-party reviews on platforms like Clutch or G2 provide unfiltered insights into their reputation.
Social proof also comes through conversations with their existing clients. When checking references, ask specific questions:
“Did the consultant deliver on time and within budget?”
“How did they handle unexpected challenges?”
“What was their communication style throughout the project?”
“Are you still working with them for ongoing support?”
“Would you choose them again for your next project?”
A SharePoint expert consultant should provide references enthusiastically, confident that their previous clients will speak positively. Hesitation or vague references raise red flags.
6. Communication, Methodology, and Cultural Fit of the SharePoint Implementation Consultant
Selecting a SharePoint consultant isn’t just procurement – it’s a long-term commitment. The right consultant becomes an extension of your internal team, guiding architecture, adoption, and governance for years to come.
Evaluate the firm’s communication and working style through these lenses:
- Communication clarity: During initial conversations, does the SharePoint implementation consultant explain concepts in language you understand, or do they hide behind technical jargon? Can they translate complex architecture decisions into business impacts?
- Project methodology: How do they structure projects? Do they follow agile methodologies with regular sprints and feedback loops? Ask to see sample project plans and understand their typical milestones.
- Transparency and reporting: How frequently will they update you on progress? What metrics do they use to track success? You want regular visibility into project status, not radio silence followed by surprises. Established reporting cadences and clear escalation procedures prevent small issues from becoming major problems.
- Flexibility and responsiveness: Business requirements evolve during implementations. Can your consultant adapt when priorities shift? How do they handle change requests? Their approach to scope management tells you whether they’re rigid or pragmatic partners.
- Cultural compatibility: Some consulting firms operate with formal corporate structures, while others embrace startup agility. Some consultants prefer detailed documentation; others favour rapid prototyping. Neither style is wrong, but mismatches create friction. Your SharePoint intranet consultant should feel like an extension of your team, not an alien presence.
- Problem-solving mindset: Challenges inevitably arise during complex implementations. You want consultants who approach problems collaboratively, presenting options and trade-offs rather than simply escalating issues. Ask about past projects that hit obstacles and how they navigated them.
During vendor selection, pay attention to your gut feelings. Did you feel heard during discovery conversations? Did they ask thoughtful questions about your business, or did they push predetermined solutions? Trust and rapport matter enormously in what will be a months-long partnership.
Neologix: Your Trusted Partner in Digital Transformation
Choosing the right SharePoint expert consultant is about aligning vision, expertise, and trust. You need a partner who not only understands SharePoint but also understands you, your goals, your challenges, and your people.
That’s where Neologix stands apart. With over 25 years of global experience, Neologix has helped organisations of every scale design, implement, and optimise SharePoint environments that drive measurable business value. As an ISO 27001 & 9001-certified company, we uphold the highest standards in data security and quality management. Our team of certified Microsoft professionals brings deep expertise across SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Power Automate, Power BI, and the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
Have questions? We are here to help. Contact us today at info@neologix.ae or call +971-521043226.
