On this site we have compiled a variety of
papers from the themanager.org-team and from our valued partners that
focus on the consulting industry. They cover topics like:
● Business models in the consulting
industry
● Industry trends and structures
● How to work with consultants
● Things consultants should know
The Management Consultancy Industry
- An Analysis
by Dagmar Recklies
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture
with various segments and player groups. We have analyzed this
industry in its current state and future prospects.
This industry shows an impressive growth. It outperforms the average
GDP growth in many countries. This growth is fuelled by the
developments in its clients industries, which require ever-new
consulting needs. Amongst these drivers, IT is one of the most
important ones. The German Association of Management Consultants
predicts, that about 50% of all consulting assignments will at least
partly include some e-business consulting in 2001. However, this
industry is not without problems. The already fierce competition
will become even harder, driven by new entrants from other
industries and by consolidation amongst their clients. Moreover,
management consultancies do not only compete for clients, but also
for staff. The ability to attract qualified people is one of the
critical success factors in this knowledge-based industry. Read our
two-part analysis Part I - Current State:
Market Segments and Player Groups - html file - 19 KB Part II - Future
Prospects: Driving Forces, Future Developments for Market
Segments and Player Groups, Critical Success Factors for Consulting
Businesses -html file - 26 KB
April 2001
Being trustworthy won’t
make you a Trusted Adviser!
Why don’t they trust you enough?
Ian Mills, Chief Executive of Transform People International
examines the way customers buy professional services and high
value products and the importance that they place on
relationships. Is the quality of your relationship the real
answer to earning more profitable long term revenue from every
customer?
The Worst
Thing about Best Practices
By Michael W. McLaughlin
Few consulting “tools” are more widely abused these days than
so-called best practices. It’s no wonder most banks, supermarkets,
airlines, retailers, and consulting firms look astonishingly
similar—they’ve been busy copying each other’s best practices for
decades. What’s most alarming is how ingrained their use has become
in the language of consultants and clients. Best practices have
joined the long list of meaningless phrases like scalable
strategies, seamless integration, and transformational initiatives.
When
Consulting Projects Go Sideways
By Michael W. McLaughlin
The problems that plague consulting projects are often avoidable, at
least in hindsight. Before a project, consultants should think of
all the potential problems and assess how they might impact the
project. A low impact event may slow the schedule slightly, while a
high impact one could mean project cancellation. Usually, project
teams resist this kind of thinking; they prefer not to focus on the
negative aspects of a project, especially during the euphoric
outset. Like it or not, the beginning is the best time to get the
potential pitfalls out in the open.
9
Ways Consultants Lose Sales
by Michael W. McLaughlin
Proposals are one of the most widely used - and abused - marketing
tools in a consultant's arsenal. All too often, consultants snatch
defeat from the jaws of victory with a lousy proposal. We focus here
on nine ways to blow a proposal.
