The case for an agile approach to consultancy

Amid rapid market changes, tighter budgets and increasing competition for talent, the way businesses look for third party expertise is evolving. For many years, hiring a larger, traditional consultancy was the standard approach, and
this model continues to offer significant value – but only to a point.

Today’s challenges demand a leaner, high-precision and more economical solution – one that listens to what clients actually need and provides that solution directly. Intelligent resourcing is the way of the future; the days of utilising just a one-size-fits-all consulting army are over. Instead, augmenting your existing approach for modern challenges
is needed.

Businesses today must place increased pressure on operations, which creates critical fault lines and exposes the limitations in using older, traditional consulting models. Although these methods aren’t rendered obsolete, the
demands created by specific, deeply entrenched challenges create a compelling argument for seeking better alternatives.

In today’s economy, every line item is under scrutiny. C-suite leaders
need honest, concrete return on their investment. The rigid, blended-rate fee structures of larger consultancies, where junior staff are often automatically bundled with senior partner talent, are becoming increasingly difficult to
justify. If an enterprise needs a precision fix, paying the premium for a large, generalist team creates significant waste costs. A more open, value-driven engagement for partners, where price is linked to the skill rendered, is
therefore being increasingly induced.

Adding to this are the persistent levels of legacy systems trapped within established organisations. Many businesses are built on decades of technological layering, developing complicated and often fragile technology
ecosystems. Solving problems within these environments cannot be done by a team of recent graduates trained on the latest cloud platforms. It demands more precise specialists with deep, proven experience across specific legacy
technology or methodology.

These experts have the experience for better pattern recognition, enabling faster problem-solving and better knowledge of navigating internal network complexities without a costly, time-wasting learning curve. A generalist
consultant placed in such an environment will often spend weeks just playing catch-up, which is a luxury most businesses cannot afford.

The finest experts are often independent today, rather than purely residing in a few large firms, and often value flexibility over the hierarchical formality of a conventional partnership. If an organisation is depending solely on bigger consulting firms, namely traditional Big Four methods, they are fishing for talent in a progressively smaller pond. Businesses miss out on the availability of talent only accessible via the more modern, consultancy-first networked model of intelligent resourcing.

Intelligent resourcing facilitates this move from more generic consultancy into buying specific, high-impact expertise. It strategically places high-level, proven experts directly into a client company to address a precise problem with precision surgery. This complements the templated solutions and generic frameworks provided by a traditional approach, adding on a more 360-degree view of even the most specific challenges alongside individual company culture and objectives. Only with this level of detailed insight can a consultancy-first intelligent resourcing partner make bespoke recommendations for not just a capable expert, but the right one for what a client needs.

Defining this new model is still an ongoing process. Intelligent resourcing is not temporary staffing, but rather expert provision supported by an additional consultancy-based service wrap. This dual support system ensures that the
professional is matched to each customer accordingly. More than just being a name in a database, experts can arrive with a deep contextual understanding of the key pain areas involved and wider strategic goals.

In addition, this means selecting experts for their cultural fit to ensure their working style and communication approach blend with the existing client team, reducing any potential for conflict and accelerating teamwork capabilities. This complete service wrap reduces the likelihood of a bad fit with clients and can better guarantee that day one value businesses need as instant reassurance of quality.

For effective intelligent resourcing, a refined talent-matching process is still needed. While systems like the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) provide an excellent foundation for mapping technical skills, true value
lies in data augmentation with years of human-led industry experience. This means going beyond a simple ‘CV engine’ by incorporating years of industry experience to assess soft skills and ensure a true culture fit.

The finest experts are often independent today, rather than purely residing in a few large firms, and often value flexibility over the hierarchical formality of a conventional partnership. If an organisation is depending solely on bigger consulting firms, namely traditional Big Four methods, they are fishing for talent in a progressively smaller pond. Businesses miss out on the availability of talent only accessible via the more modern, consultancy-first networked model of intelligent resourcing.

Intelligent resourcing facilitates this move from more generic consultancy into buying specific, high-impact expertise. It strategically places high-level, proven experts directly into a client company to address a precise problem with precision surgery. This complements the templated solutions and generic frameworks provided by a traditional approach, adding on a more 360-degree view of even the most specific challenges alongside individual company culture and objectives. Only with this level of detailed insight can a consultancy-first intelligent resourcing partner make bespoke recommendations for not just a capable expert, but the right one for what a client needs.

Defining this new model is still an ongoing process. Intelligent resourcing is not temporary staffing, but rather expert provision supported by an additional consultancy-based service wrap. This dual support system ensures that the
professional is matched to each customer accordingly. More than just being a name in a database, experts can arrive with a deep contextual understanding of the key pain areas involved and wider strategic goals.

In addition, this means selecting experts for their cultural fit to ensure their working style and communication approach blend with the existing client team, reducing any potential for conflict and accelerating teamwork
capabilities. This complete service wrap reduces the likelihood of a bad fit with clients and can better guarantee that day one value businesses need as instant reassurance of quality.

For effective intelligent resourcing, a refined talent-matching process is still needed. While systems like the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) provide an excellent foundation for mapping technical skills, true value
lies in data augmentation with years of human-led industry experience. This means going beyond a simple ‘CV engine’ by incorporating years of industry experience to assess soft skills and ensure a true culture fit.