Five Warning Signs It’s Time to Find a New Consultancy
Knowing the reasons to choose a new consultancy can save your business from missed opportunities and wasted resources.
Every consultancy partnership begins with promise. But too often that promise starts to fade. What once was positive and upward-looking gradually deteriorates and becomes uninspired and unproductive. The challenge is knowing when it’s time to move on.
Key Reasons to Choose a New Consultancy
Their Ideas Feel Recycled and Tired
Consulting should bring fresh perspectives and tailored insights to your business challenges. But when the same ideas keep resurfacing, it’s a clear sign the consultancy has run out of steam. Repeated points, similar slides in multiple decks and cookie-cutter approaches signal a lack of effort and creativity.
A strong consultancy avoids one-size-fits-all strategies. If you’re seeing recycled content or generic recommendations, it may be time to seek a partner who can provide original, relevant insights.
Their Recommendations Are Hard to Implement—or Just Plain Bad
Good consulting turns theory into action. If your current consultancy’s recommendations are hard to implement, it might be time to explore the benefits of a new consultancy partner. Poorly researched recommendations, outdated data and unclear action points indicate a lack of rigor, it’s theory without a roadmap.
When implementation reveals flaws in their strategies, it’s time to ask whether their work is truly adding value. Recommendations should be actionable, based on thorough research and aligned with your goals.
You’re Treated Like a Low-Priority Client
As a client, you should feel valued throughout the partnership. If face-time starts strong but tapers off, or if your team struggles to track down consultants when needed, it’s a red flag. Reduced access to senior team members or slow responses to project changes can hinder progress and erode trust.
A client-focussed consultancy should maintain consistent communication and adapt to evolving project needs. If your partner’s responsiveness and involvement are fading (especially at the senior level), it might be time to look elsewhere.
Their Approach Feels Overly Commercial
A consultancy’s focus should be on delivering results, not pushing more projects. If every conversation feels like a sales pitch, it’s a sign they’re more interested in their bottom line than yours.
True consulting partners prioritise your success over securing additional engagements. If you’re being treated like a revenue stream cash cow rather than a strategic partner, consider finding a new consultancy with a more client-focused approach.
They’re a Jack of All Trades but a Master of None
Versatility is valuable. But make sure it is not a thinly veiled lack of expertise. A consultancy claiming to “do it all” might lack the depth needed to solve specific challenges. Maybe you’ve worked with them for some time, but now they’re stretching beyond their core competency. Or maybe things started well, but now the project’s focus is shifting to areas where they feel more comfortable, even if it’s not what you originally asked for.
Consultants should have a clear and specialised focus. Beware of firms that seem to lose their footing when a project requires deep, subject-specific knowledge.
Benefits of Choosing a New Consultancy
The right consultancy is a powerful partner in driving growth and solving complex challenges. But when the quality of the partnership declines, it’s essential to act quickly.
At White Space Strategy, we understand the importance of staying valuable to our clients. That’s why we focus on delivering fresh, well-researched consultancy insights, built from the ground up. Our recommendations are clear and actionable, designed to drive results from day one. We prioritise face-time with senior consultants and maintain a strong commitment to understanding your specific needs. If your current consultancy is falling short, we’re ready to help.