Industry 4.0, digital transformation, big data, artificial intelligence - digitization has fundamentally changed companies and markets. Particularly affected by this are consulting companies that are always the first point of contact for all changes and support companies in the integration of modern technologies and agile methods. At the same time, the consulting industry itself is facing a fundamental change.
When solving problems, consultants could always rely on best practice processes that had already been successful in other companies. However, models and methods need to be developed for dealing with digitization, pioneering techniques and disruptive business models.
Another challenge is that large volumes of artificial data can now be automatically patterned using artificial neural networks and software analysis tools. Thus, the focus shifts in the consultation of the analysis to the implementation, the added value of the consulting service is now in the interpretation of the collected data.
The solution
These changes also present consulting companies with extensive challenges, they also offer the opportunity to develop new business models and innovative products and services. In this way, consulting companies can develop previously unused growth areas and set themselves apart from the competition. But for the transformation of consulting companies to Consulting 4.0 to work, they have to implement suitable tools and techniques. Because only when consulting companies reposition themselves will they also in future live up to their claim as a technologically leading service provider, innovation-driven partner and attractive employer. An integrated software solution is an important building block for controlling internal processes. This supports consulting companies in networking departments and handling customer projects efficiently and transparently.
Benefits of integrating business software for consulting firms
1. Network knowledge and processes
If project-relevant data such as working hours or travel costs are recorded and processed by various tools in the company, there is a lack of transparency. In addition, the multiple acquisition of data costs a lot of time. The remedy is an integrated solution that covers all areas of the company and thus contributes to comprehensive networking.
- All employees work with the same software and the same database
- All data is available company-wide
- All changes are immediately visible to all employees
- Cross-departmental collaboration is simplified
- Automated workflows save time and relieve the workforce
- Company-wide evaluations provide a meaningful picture of the current and future development
Even more efficiency is provided by industry software, which additionally provides a multitude of relevant industry-specific functions for consulting companies such as project planning and resource management.
2. Improve services
In order to distinguish itself in the tough competitive environment, the quality of the consulting service plays a decisive role. This includes a professional project management that does not rely on Excel lists. After all, these have potential for danger in several ways:
- Complex projects can only be mapped with great effort and multiple lists
- Mutual dependencies often go undetected
- Maintaining the lists requires a lot of time and is prone to errors
- Lists and dates are rarely up to date
- No ongoing exchange with customers, external partners and service providers
The solution: Integrated solutions combine the organizational and the commercial perspective on projects. In this way, resources can be used in a targeted manner and employees can be optimally utilized. Threatening capacity bottlenecks are detected in good time so that countermeasures can be taken early. Thanks to the integrated financial accounting, project managers and the management can compare project and budget progress at any time on the basis of current figures and thus easily identify risks. Unloved surprises at the end of the month or quarter are excluded. Since all elements of a project are in one solution, complex projects can be conveniently calculated, planned, controlled and evaluated.
3. Strengthen personal contact
In the consultation, personal contact with the customer is and remains important. The introduction of suitable business software relieves employees of routine administrative tasks. This saves you time and allows you to fully concentrate on the needs of the customer.
- Automated generation of reports with current key figures including a target / actual comparison
- Simple time and travel expense recording via smartphone and tablet - even on the go
- Digital recording of documents such as invoices, forms, e-mails, contracts, etc.
- Integration of release workflows to increase process security and meet regulatory requirements such as GoBD or DSGVO
- Always able to provide information to the customer, as information is always up to date
