In a consulting business, effectively managing the “bench” – consultants currently not assigned to any billable client project – is crucial for navigating challenging times.
When do assignments end? What assignments do you have in the pipeline? Who is currently on the bench, or will be? To run an effective operation within the consulting company, it’s important to have a good overview of your utilization and understand your current situation.
To be on the ‘bench’ in a consulting firm means that the consultant currently doesn’t have any assigned consulting projects and isn’t billing any hours to clients. Consultants on the ‘bench’ are therefore available for future client projects.
Having consultants on the ‘bench’ is natural between assignments.
The time on the bench can be used for skills development, internal projects, and assisting with marketing and sales.
However, the challenge arises when several employed consultants don’t have any assignments, especially if this occurs for extended periods. The company is affected financially, while morale and corporate culture are put to the test.
To drive effective resource management, you need to primarily understand the current situation. This information should be updated in real-time. You also need to tailor the information based on what you as salespeople, managers, and leaders are looking for.
In a modern consulting firm, you should quickly get information about:
Understanding why a specific consultant is without assignments is crucial. Are all salespeople familiar with the talent, their preferences, and their skills?
All these aspects provide understanding and insights into the bench situation now and in the coming months. This makes it easier to make the right decisions and find the right assignments.
Check out our guide: Effective Strategies for Reducing the ‘Bench’ in Your Consulting Firm During Challenging Times.
Effective Strategies for Reducing the “Bench” in your Consulting Firm During Challenging Times!
Mattias Loxi, Co-Founder / CMO
Mattias Loxi, Co-Founder / CMO
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