In today’s increasingly complex global marketplace, company owners may find it difficult to keep up with their ever-growing responsibilities. And not surprisingly, even highly successful entrepreneurs don’t possess expertise in every subject. Alternatively, they may be faced with a multifaceted business scenario they aren’t equipped to resolve. Either way, these seasoned company owners know when to hire an expert.
Here’s where a highly skilled management consultant can be a game-changer. These high-level business advisors often partner with CEOs and other C-suite executives. Although each client company has distinctive goals, these business leaders typically want to improve the firm’s performance in specific ways.
Naturally, each client enters the consulting relationship with certain expectations. Executive consultant Kevin Modany is a former CEO and executive consultant who helps companies succeed, grow, and scale. He details five client expectations and provides tips for meeting each one.
Client Expectations Impact the Consulting Environment
The United States management consulting industry is affected by the same factors that impact the larger business landscape. Economic conditions, market dynamics, technological trends, customer behavior, and other factors influence consulting firms’ operations.
Management consulting firms must also address clients’ evolving expectations. These expectations are often influenced by economic conditions and industry trends. The client’s geographic location and other factors may also play a role. Finally, the consulting agreement’s purpose and logistics can also help determine client expectations.
Executive consultant Kevin Modany states that clients often express a desire for fast problem resolution and targeted solutions. They also want quantifiable results such as higher profitability and/or improved operations efficiencies. Other desired outcomes depend on each client’s specific business situation.
To meet these often-extensive demands, management consultants should first focus on cultivating respectful client relationships. Gaining a thorough understanding of each client’s needs is also key. Management consulting firms that regularly engage in market research, and that follow industry trends, are best equipped to meet clients’ expectations.
5 Primary Client Expectations
Kevin Modany profiles five client expectations that apply across diverse industries. Certain clients may expect a management consultant to possess multiple types of expertise.
Client-Requested Expertise
Historically, many management consultants maintained well-rounded general expertise that enabled them to serve a varied client base. However, increasingly complex business scenarios, along with more technology utilization, have led to higher client demand for specialized industry expertise.
Alternatively, clients may request management consultants with specific skill sets. Examples include consultants with financial management, information technology, legal, marketing, or corporate turnaround expertise. Because executive consultant Kevin Modany previously excelled as a Chief Executive Officer (or CEO), he draws on that experience to assist his clients.
Strategically focused management consulting firms invest in targeted consultant training programs. With industry-specific expertise, or client-requested skill sets, these capable management consultants are well-positioned to serve diverse clients’ needs. In turn, this helps foster beneficial long-term collaborations.
Most clients will have a good chance of finding management consultants who can satisfy specific requirements. Large metro areas may offer the best choice. In addition, certain consultants may offer virtual consulting services.
Digital Transformation Leadership
Many United States industries continue to undergo a digital transformation. Although some companies have made considerable progress, others are playing catch-up in rectifying varied operations inefficiencies. Executive consultant Kevin Modany notes that clients often expect management consultants to possess expertise in digital technologies-driven business transformation.
Specifically, clients request consultants with expertise in artificial intelligence (including machine learning), automation technologies, and blockchain applications. In addition, cloud computing should ideally be part of a management consultant’s services toolkit.
Kevin Modany says that management consultants with strong digital technologies expertise are well-positioned to help clients improve operational efficiencies. A strong technological knowledge base also enables industry innovation leadership. Together, these achievements enhance overall client value and can drive higher client satisfaction.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Businesses in diverse industries continue to replace arbitrary decision-making practices with data-driven decisions. Data analytics technology enables delivery of accurate results that drive these better-informed decisions.
Not surprisingly, management consulting clients expect consulting firms to use data analytics in three key ways. Clients know this rapidly growing technology can generate insights, pinpoint customer trends, and deliver data-sourced strategic recommendations.
Kevin Modany Advocates for Data-Driven Decisions
Executive consultant Kevin Modany has long applied data analytics technology to provide strategic insights to his clients. Using targeted data, he guides company leaders in making decisions aligned with the firm’s vision and mission. Finding the right data is the first step in the decision process.
“There’s a plethora of data. People are collecting more and more of it. I think it requires that we prioritize and we make sure that we’re focused on the right set of data, and we don’t get overwhelmed by it. But I think it’s super exciting,” Kevin Modany emphasizes.
Although data plays a key role, Kevin Modany says qualitative variables should also factor into every decision. “[The data is] not the end all be all, right? There are still qualitative considerations, and you always have to have that as part of the equation,’ Kevin Modany concludes.
Agile and Flexible Solutions
In a rapidly evolving business environment, clients seek out highly adaptable management consultants who practice an agile business methodology. In contrast to linear project management, an agile approach integrates collaboration and flexibility.
To illustrate, these management consultants respond to changing business conditions by developing an innovative (and often optimal) solution. This approach typically results in pre-deadline project delivery and brings customer satisfaction. Workers’ morale and productivity may also see positive impacts.
Practicing an agile business methodology typically requires special training and certifications. That said, management consultants who gain agile project management skills may see increased demand for their consulting services.
Data Privacy and Security
Management consulting firms are routinely entrusted with clients’ sensitive information. Examples include proprietary business data, company financial information, and customer contact and transaction details.
Clients expect management consultants to safeguard all company information throughout the consulting relationship. Lack of stringent privacy and security protocols can lead to data breaches. These unfortunate incidents can damage the client’s reputation and potentially cause legal problems.
To guard against such events, executive consultant Kevin Modany says management consulting firms should institute sophisticated cybersecurity measures. Privacy regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (or GDPR), are also advised.
Finally, secure customer relationship management (or CRM) systems protect sensitive customer information. Taken together, these precautions enable secure collaboration between management consultants and their clients.
Toward Mutually Beneficial Relationships
Management consulting clients’ evolving expectations will ideally motivate consultants to proactively obtain qualifications that enable better service. Executive consultant Kevin Modany emphasizes that mutual respect and ongoing productive dialogue also play key roles in optimal client-consultant relationships.
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