Explaining Different Types of Business Consultants

Scott Gelbard
3 min readMar 28, 2022

Business consultants rarely use the term “problem” to describe their work. Instead, they talk about the opportunities to enhance value. Despite often being criticized, they can still add value to your company. There are a variety of ways they can help you achieve goals and solve problems.

Most companies are familiar with the four most prominent consulting firms: Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. These firms are typically out of reach for most midsized businesses, but there are smaller firms that are less pricey.

Five Types of Consultants

Strategic Management: A good consultant should have the necessary skills and knowledge to help your company develop and implement its strategy and management. If you’re looking to hire a consultant for various tasks, such as expanding your product line or revamping your middle-market company, hiring an experienced management consultant can be the best decision.

Operations: An operations consultant can help you improve the efficiency of your processes. Business process re-engineering is a type of consulting that involves mapping out your existing processes and identifying ways to improve them.

IT: Information Technology (IT) is a fast-growing area of consulting. With the increasing demands for technology, an expert in this field can help you get the most out of your existing systems and make them work seamlessly with your external customers.

HR: Human Resources (HR) consultants can help you improve the satisfaction of your staff and attract the best candidates. These consultants can help you develop strategies that align with your company’s goals and culture from training procedures to performance feedback.

Marketing: Marketing is another area of consulting that can help you develop a strategy for your company. Some consultants can help you create a new logo, improve your social media strategy, or develop a new market position.

Reasons to Hire a Consultant

Extra Hands: If you don’t have the resources to properly staff your company, then hiring a consultant can help you fill the gap. They can help you until a full-time employee can be found. Doing so saves you money and time.

Guide Transitions: Consultants can help you manage change, especially if your company is prone to internal squabbling. They can help you identify and implement new strategies that will improve the efficiency of your organization.

Education: Consultants are usually the leading experts in their field. They can also help you implement best practices in areas such as management and technology, as well as effectively train employees on new practices.

Outside Insight: Having an outside consultant can help boost creativity within your company. Sometimes, in-house staff members are not as creative as they should be, but they can still benefit from the consultant’s insights.

Training: Aside from being experts in their field, consultants can also deliver training courses and presentations for your company. They’re usually born trainers, so they can deliver training courses in almost any subject.

Deciding on the right consultant can be expensive, but it can be very beneficial if they can turn your company’s needs into highly profitable solutions.

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Originally published on ScottGelbard.net on March 28, 2022

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Scott Gelbard

Scott Gelbard is a Vancouver-based consultant, entrepreneur, and business advisor. Has a solid investment portfolio, which you can read about @ ScottGelbard.org