The Enduring Value of Personal Relationships in Consulting

Wavestone’s Neil Sharp, Head of Proposition and Go to Market, and Uta Niendorf, ExCom Member and Partner for Digital Customer in Germany, caught up with Emma Carroll, Head of Content at Source, on the latest episode of our The Future of the Firm podcast.  

 Uta and Neil shared their insights on the following matters and more:   

• Data collection is central to producing seamlessly integrated touchpoints and creating a frictionless omnichannel experience. 

• Businesses should not just focus on aspects that deliver immediate revenues like sales and marketing, but also on after-sales and service—and crucially on the customer’s “moment of truth”. We discuss why.  

• In the current fast-changing business landscape it is important to have an energetic, agile business model that allows for trial and error in a controlled way. We explore what this looks like. 

• Empathy is at the heart of customer services, and while AI that delivers convincing and genuine empathy remains yet to be seen, emotional AI could be the next big thing. 

• Professional services firms are increasingly being asked to use AI to perform labour-intensive jobs that would traditionally have been carried out by junior consultants. 

• While technological advancements are rife in the consulting world, it ultimately remains a people business: Nurturing relationships will remain key to success. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, Business Leader’s Voice. In a recent episode, we talked to Benjamin Samuels, Former Chief Revenue Officer at WeWork, about navigating growth and change.