Why I Hate Large Consulting Firms (And You Should, Too)

If you haven’t paid attention to recent publishing news, you may have missed the release of a new book that argues against large consulting firms. Written by Mariana Mazzucato and Rosie Collington, the work is called The Big Con: How the Consulting Industry Weakens Our Businesses, Infantilizes Our Governments, and Warps Our Economies. If the title is any indication, they spare no prisoners when it comes to large consulting firms. The crux of their argument is essentially that these firms do not deliver on the promise of value. Instead, they create the “impression of value” that allows them to secure contracts from businesses while simultaneously evading the need to deliver real results.

In the last forty years or so, demand for consulting has resulted in a trillion-dollar market primarily led by industry mainstays, such as Deloitte or McKinsey & Company. However, The Big Con is filled with stories that show just how far these larger firms are willing to go to serve as the buffer for controversial decisions. This is because, if it appears as though a large consulting firm has suggested an idea, organizations have cover against bad press. However, what these stories demonstrate is that bloated consulting firms know very little when it comes to providing actionable insights for their clients.

Although Mazzucato and Collington’s arguments are provocative, the book contains merit with which consulting agencies and organizations must both contend. At Amplify, we are aware of the reputation consultants face. Many of us have been on the client side before: we understand what it is like to watch a group of consultants come in, offering questionable advice at outrageous prices. The fact of the matter is that consulting agencies are often unable to deliver on new ideas that organizations themselves could not think up. In fact, when businesses over-rely on consultants, they tend to make it more difficult for their own employees to get better at their jobs. So what really is the value of consultants, anyway?

In the case of Amplify, the answer really is a matter of our industry perspective. Because we have had similar experiences as most of our clients, we know how to locate their pain points and have also developed vendor connections and methods to account for what we faced ourselves. The problem with many consulting firms is that everyone wants to consult, but very few people know how to add value to their clients. This difficulty is compounded when working with larger consulting firms who assign junior employees to your account. Not only have these employees never worked on the client side, but they have also barely worked with any clients whatsoever.

Simply put, not every outside “expert” has the experience to supplement your organizational knowledge—in fact, there is a good chance that consultants from these agencies will lead you astray if you are not careful. I have had many clients ask me about “red flags” to look for with consulting agencies, and I always say: if an agency likes to talk more than they like to listen, they will not be able to help your business. If an agency offers you cookie-cutter templates or methods without tailoring what they do to your unique situation, it will not be a fit. Ultimately, consultants are either in it because they want to help companies succeed or because they failed in their respective field. If Mazzucato and Collington’s book is any indication, a lot of people become consultants due to the latter situation.