What is Consulting 3.0?

So I came across an interesting take on the next phase of consulting. Particularly around changing delivery models where businesses need less help up front to identify problems and more talent around the “solution selection and implementation work.” So is consulting 3.0 just another mantra or buzzword?

A New Era in Consulting

Consulting 1.0 focused on the dawn of IT and ERP. Consulting 2.0 built from there focusing on hardware and custom software development. Consulting 3.0 is all things mobile, digital and cloud based. Massimo Russo, a Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group calls this new business era the “industrial internet.” This is of course where information can be accessed on any device, anywhere.

Expertise is Valued in Conjunction with Transparency

Joseph Kornik, the publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Consulting Magazine says firms are also more highly valuing more experienced digitally-savvy consultants. And the good news for our clients says Kornik is that the old model of charging a client three times what the firm is paying its consultants is gone. Firms, both large and small are coming up with ways to deliver services that are efficient and scalable. The new model also shifts upfront work to the client instead of high-priced consultants. This allows for more money to be spent where the client needs expertise- the implementation side. More collaboration at this point is beneficial for the client and the consultant. I really like facet of transparency. In this new model the consulting firm will have to be transparent internally and externally. I find this is vitally important in building trust with prospective and existing clients. Let me know what you think about ‘consulting 3.0’ and how it will affect the way clients and consultants interact.