The massive management consulting industry continues growing. There are 5 broad categories of consultant jobs that are most in demand:

• Operations consulting.
• Financial consulting.
• Human resources consulting.
• Risk and compliance consulting.
• Strategy consulting.

Wihin these categories, the use of technology applies to all categories. We will share some trends:

1. Quantifiable Results: Many businesses are seeking help from consultants. While the trend to value based performance isn’t new, it has been exasperated by the current business climate. Clients will expect to see tangible value from their investments, aiming for implementing cost-effective solutions, instead of prioritizing expensive diagnosis. Some experiences includes entering into strategic partnerships between clients and consulting firms.
2. Strategy Technology: Technology budgets experience stealth growth. Technology opportunities are moving beyond hardware installations and software licensing into a wide array of possibilities as businesses integrate technology into their long-term goals. More and more, companies are aligning their business strategies with Technology strategies.
3. Analytics: One of the main trends is related to the Analytics Revolution. The mass amount of information created by the IT has the power to revolutionize everything, allowing companies to work more efficiently and profitably than ever before. Business will be done differently thanks to data analytics. Companies with a strong data foundation will lead the way. Big Data and advanced analytics promise profound competitive advantages, by driving out costs or increasing revenues from the application of big data.
4. Hyperautomation: is a disciplined, business-driven approach to rapidly identify, vet and automate as many business and IT processes as possible. Hyperautomation enables scalability, remote operation and business model disruption.
5. Cloud-Native Platforms: are technologies that allow you to build new application architectures that are resilient, elastic and agile — enabling you to respond to rapid digital change. Cloud-native platforms improve on the traditional lift-and-shift approach to cloud, which fails to take advantage of the benefits of cloud and adds complexity to maintenance. 
6. Proactive Cybersecurity takes a big step forward – Momentum toward a proactive approach to cybersecurity is building. Penetration testing has become a distinct role within cybersecurity team structures. Organizations are starting to realize that either internal resources or outside partners are needed to identify and correct weak spots.
7. Culture Remains a Hurdle. A massive 62% of business leaders consider culture as the number one hurdle to digital transformation.  But as the pace of change continues to increase — and the number of new technologies continues to grow — it will become even more imperative that companies move fast while moving forward toward growth and new digital consulting trends.

Keeping your organizational culture and infrastructure flexible and easily adaptable are the new key success factors. Don’t let your people experience frustration, anger, and disengagement over digital transformation—whenever they do, it is a clear sign that some of your organization’s rules, policies, procedures, processes or systems have hindered, rather than assisted, in achieving the organization’s desired results.

It’s a competitive market out there, and if your firm wants to maintain relevance, you need to grow. As you work on your plans for next year, it’s crucial to stay one step ahead — not just of your competitors, but of your clients, too. 

Fabio Fabri, General Consulting Coordinator of Auren Argentina