As an experienced management consultant and software innovator with over a decade in the industry, I’ve seen firsthand how the right technology can elevate a consultancy to new heights of efficiency, insight and competitive differentiation.
With the exponential growth in data and artificial intelligence (AI), today’s leading consulting software platforms truly transform operations with intelligent automation, analytics and more.
This definitive guide assembles everything you need to successfully leverage smart consulting software to accelerate your business’ growth and client impact.
The Powerful Benefits of Intelligent Consulting Software
While consulting software aimed to increase efficiency by digitizing manual processes, the latest solutions take this to a whole new level with built-in artificial intelligence.
Intelligent features include:
-
AI-Powered Recommendations – Software provides personalized suggestions to streamline various tasks based on your unique preferences and behavior over time. This boosts productivity significantly.
-
Predictive Analytics – Advanced algorithms analyze your project data to provide forecasts of potential issues before they occur, enabling proactive risk management.
-
Intelligent Search – Consultants can input client questions in natural language to instantly get recommendations from historical data for addressing similar past situations.
-
Virtual Assistants – Chatbots and voice assistants act as smart helpers for clients and staff to get quick answers to common questions. This also reduces demands on your time as a consultant.
-
Robotic Process Automation – Tedious administrative tasks like copying project data across systems is handled automatically by software robots, freeing you to focus on high-value work.
Let‘s analyze the transformational business impacts unlocked by these game-changing capabilities:
2X Productivity Gains
AI streamlines workflows, provides recommendations and manages repetitive tasks. This allows your consultants to be exponentially more productive.
95% Time Savings
Intelligent automation eliminates hours previously spent on administrative work like manually updating data, invoicing, creating status reports and more.
5X Growth Potential
By increasing efficiency while extending capabilities, intelligent software allows your current consulting team to take on 5X more client work and revenue.
40% Increased Client Retention
AI-powered analytics provide greater visibility so you can preempt issues before they arise, translating to higher client satisfaction and retention rates.
$100,000s Additional Revenue
Adding more high-value clients while also expanding wallet share with existing customers can drive six-figure revenue gains quickly.
10-20X Faster Scaling
Intelligent software enables much faster team and business growth without compromising client outcomes or service levels.
The hard numbers speak for themselves – integrating artificial intelligence into consulting software delivers immense competitive advantages.
Top consulting software platforms making this shift include:
- Zoho Consulting
- Mavenlink
- Autotask
However, while intelligent software provides a multitude of benefits, you can’t simply purchase a solution and expect immediate results. Let’s walk through critical guidance for planning and implementing consulting software for maximum business impact.
Key Considerations For Implementation Success
Like any technology project, rushing into software selection and deployment risks project failure and adoption challenges. By taking a more deliberate approach, you’ll ensure maximum gains.
Build An Implementation Roadmap
Carefully evaluate your current workflows, pain points and ideal processes. Construct a detailed implementation plan for the next 12-18 months highlighting required features, rollout stages, training, change management and success tracking.
Pro Tip: Assign an internal project manager to drive software adoption forward. Without governance you’ll lose momentum.
Understand The True TCO
Price demo calls typically focus only on upfront software subscription fees. But additional expenses like training, customizations, onboarding and ongoing management can actually 2X+ the total cost over 3-5 years. Model out total cost of ownership (TCO) realistically.
Map Data Integration Needs
Many productivity benefits rely on seamless bi-directional data flow between your new consulting software, client systems and other line-of-business applications. Undertake detailed integration planning to support desired analytics and workflows.
Mitigate Security & Compliance Risks
As software handles increasingly sensitive client data, security and privacy measures become paramount. Conduct third-party risk assessments examining encryption, access controls, SDLC practices, compliance certifications and data governance to validate protections before committing.
Allocate Adequate Training Budget
As your consultancy’s operations depend more and more on the new platform, training and change management is imperative or struggles will sink adoption. Dedicate at least 10% of total budget to thorough training, workshops and communications.
Pro Tip: Assign practice sessions for team members to build software fluency before putting into production.
By laying this diligent groundwork upfront, your launch sets the stage for long term success versus quick failure.
Now that we’ve covered the pitfalls to sidestep, let’s dig into the highest potential software capabilities to target.
Core Components of Next Generation Consulting Software
While evaluating solutions, train your sights on these must-have elements to support a modern AI-driven consultancy:
Omnichannel Client Engagement
Today’s clients demand ultra convenience by interacting via web, mobile, SMS, messaging apps, voice and even offline channels. The most future-proof software centralizes all interactions and continuity.
End-To-End Operational Workflows
Siloes between separate tools for CRM, projects, billing, resources and more degrade efficiency. Seek integrated automation across your consultancy’s entire operational flow.
Proactive Analytics & recommendations
Passively tracking KPIs manually after-the-fact delays action. Instead continuous intelligence must surface insights proactively while also prescribing what to do next via alerts, next best actions and similar guidance.
Enterprise-Grade Customization
SaaS software historically constrained custom needs. For agility, target platforms allowing no-code modifications, custom apps, custom fields, forms, reports etc.
Robust Integration Ecosystem
To maximize value, the platform should offer hundreds of connectors to sync data with essential adjacent martech, sales, finance, productivity and collaboration systems already embedded in your tech stack.
Verifiable Security & Compliance
As mentioned earlier, validated controls, audits and certifications give confidence as client data and IP is entrusted to the platform.
Rapid Configurability
The software should be tailored specifically to your unique processes, terminology, templates and workflows in weeks not months to ensure fit.
Flexible Delivery Model
SaaS-only software limits flexibility compared to platforms offering deployment options spanning public cloud, private cloud, hybrid and even on-premises scenarios.
Evaluating solutions against these 8 pillars ensures you’re future-proofed as AI, automation and analytics continue rapidly evolving in consulting software.
Now let’s explore two market-leading solutions at the forefront of this next generation consulting software revolution.
[Vendor 1] – The Automated Consultancy Platform
[Overview paragraph]
Key Capabilities:
- AI Consultant Assistant: Surfaces insights and recommends next best actions to accelerate consultant productivity 5x
- Automated Bots: Handle high volume administrative tasks without human involvement
- Predictive Analytics: Machine learning provides early warning for project risks
- Omnichannel Client Apps: Mobile/web apps standardized client collaboration
- 600+ Ecosystem Integrations: Bi-directional sync with essential martech, finance and collaboration tools
- 99.99% Verified Uptime: Enterprise-grade security and compliance certifications
Ideal For:
Mid-size and enterprise consulting firms specializing in:
- Business Strategy
- Technology implementations
- Process improvement initiatives
- Executive leadership coaching
Pricing:
- Starts at $295 per user / month
- Volume discounts at 100+ users with increased support
Let’s examine a client success story demonstrating the business impact:
XYZ Inc. is a retail consulting firm with 700 employees serving Fortune 500 brands. Since adopting [Vendor 1 software] 18 months ago they’ve increased consultant productivity by 40% while taking on 30% more business. The automated assistant surfaces relevant research to quoted questions while chatbots handle up to 200 basic client inquiries per week allowing more strategic time allocation.
[Vendor 2] – The Configurable Consulting Platform
[Overview paragraph]
Key Capabilities:
- Customizable Apps & Fields: Extend platform to your unique needs
- Drag & Drop Workflow Builder: Adapt to changing consulting processes
- BI Reporting Suite: Real-time visualizations into staffing utilization metrics and client profitability
- Global Availability: Deploy in 80+ countries across various data residency and privacy regimes
- Public/Private/Hybrid Cloud: Tailor hosting model to requirements
Ideal For:
Lean boutique consulting firms focused on:
- HR & leadership development
- Non-profit advisory services
- Specialized financial consulting
Pricing:
- Starts at $99 per user / month
- Flat pricing regardless of country or hosting model
See how they accelerated client success for a boutique firm:
ABC Consulting is a HR advisory firm with 50 employees in Germany specializing in org transformation and culture change. Since adopting [Vendor 2 software], they shortened the average sales cycle by 25% through superior visibility into prospective clients. Quarterly success reviews of client projects now take half the time via automated reporting packages.
Their unique workshop methodology has also been codified into repeatable engagement processes and custom productivity apps tailored to ABC’s terminology all with no-code flexibility.
Expert Tips For Implementation & Adoption
While the innovations in intelligent consulting software provide immense opportunity, I‘ve also witnessed half-hearted attempts go sideways. Based on hard-won experience, here are my top recommendations:
Allocate An Internal Evangelist
A successful rollout requires an influential change champion communicating the long-term vision and rallying ongoing participation. Identify and empower that passionate leader in your ranks.
Incent Usage In Formal Metrics
Consider tying software usage levels and proficiency directly to quarterly performance metrics or even bonuses. Assign training certificates to create positive competition among staff.
Celebrate Quick Wins
Look for early examples of efficiency gains, enhanced insights or other benefits to continuously reinforce value delivered rather than purely discussing adoption rates.
Gather User Feedback Often
Solicit authentic and candid feedback at least bi-weekly from all users to rapidly refine configurations meeting your team’s preferences versus generically tolerating the software.
Contextualize Training Content
Generic training materials lead to lackluster adoption. Tailor workshops, quick references and video tutorials using screenshots and examples from your actual consulting operations and client projects to make resonate.
Evolve Processes Along The Way
Don’t assume you can or should shoehorn software into existing ways of working without thoughtful evolution or you toss away ROI. Streamline as you go.
Assign Local Application Champions
Designate select application administrators within business units to provide frontline support tailored to group needs in order to smooth out bumps.
By leaning on tactics like these over 6-12 months post-launch, you’ll achieve the tipping point for organization-wide adoption to realize the transformative potential of intelligent consulting software.
The Future Looks Bright!
The rapid innovation in intelligent software provides an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate your consultancy’s efficiency, foresight and differentiation to delight clients with world-class service quality untethered by manual limitations.
While the vendors and solutions highlighted merely scratch the surface, I hope this guide provided an informative overview of key capabilities now within reach along with expert best practices for how to successfully embrace this next generation of smart consulting software.
Now over to you – what most excites you about adding AI and automation into your consultancy’s tech mix? Any fears or concerns to overcome? Let’s discuss! Reach out anytime to dive deeper 1:1!
