Maximising the Value of Consultants: Key lessons from clients

Introduction

The consulting industry is going through what is arguably the biggest market adjustment in its 80 year history.

Expansion in the late 1990s came to an abrupt halt in 2001, as private sector clients, faced with shrinking profits, significantly reduced the amount of money they were prepared to spend on consultancy and left consultants with an over-capacity problem of unprecedented proportions. 'This is the toughest time the consulting industry has ever experienced', says Jerry Greenberg, the Chief Executive of US-based Sapient.

This report looks at how these changes have been perceived by clients and seeks to understand:

• where consultants do and don't add value
• what clients can do to maximize that value.

The report is based on the contribution of almost 100 private and public sector clients from around the world.