subject: How Niche Consultants Are Different From Generalist Consultants [print this page] Generalist management consultancy firms London offer their clients a wide variety of services. These services range from outsourcing to strategy work to systems integration and so on. Even top management consultancy firms find it beneficial to adapt to the generalist approach because there is always a backup plan to balance the loss in case one type of work dries up. This is why management consultants London are employees that have easily transferable skills and are hence referred to as generalist consultants. Some employers like to refer to such consultants as change management consultants because they are able to adapt to changes within the working environment very easily.
Lets take an example of an employee working in a generalist consultancy firm. Within a period of two years, he most likely has worked on several cases ranging from building a business case, implementing a new service in an existing company, an acquisition that needs support with culture change, an outsourcing project that requires business development knowledge and being a part of a financial services project. This example clearly shows you the wide variety of fields that a generalist consultant would have to work in. When these consultants begin working on a certain project, they do not always have the skills required for it. What they necessarily possess are a strong set of core communication and analysis skills which enable them to learn new things faster. With this ability a good generalist consultant will only need a few days to become competent within a new working environment.
Niche consultancy companies are smaller in size and they often employ specialized and experienced consultants. The common procedure is to employ just one or two consultants and maintain a network of affiliates with similar consultancy firms and/or with freelance consultants. These firms usually specialize only in one area and for acquiring new contracts; they rely mainly on networking and personal contacts. Some clients prefer niche consultancies because they are cheaper, they have more experienced and qualified employees, and because they are very often familiar with whom they are working with. If a niche consultancy has a strong client list, many good, committed partners who will stay with the firm, and a history of continuous profits, the firm is a good candidate for larger firms to take over.
