What do firms need to know about how clients perceive them in 2025?

Aug 26, 2025

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On our latest episode of The Future of the Firm podcast, Sophie Gunn, Senior Consultant at Source, caught up with Emma Carroll, our Head of Content, to debate some of the most important findings from our Client Perceptions programme so far in 2025. They then discuss how firms can use this information to gain competitive advantage.

Sophie shared her insights on the following matters and more:

Based on surveys of nearly 4,000 senior buyers, sector expertise and subject matter experts have been the top differentiators for consulting services in recent years. Sophie also reveals other crucial attributes.

Client perceptions show notable regional differences. Some examples include:

In the US, there's a rising emphasis on a firm's global reach; a trend likely driven by recent shifts in supply chains and tariffs.

In countries like China and Japan, clients are primarily focused on a firm's implementation ability.

In the UK, GCC, and Australia, thought leadership is comparatively a more highly valued attribute.

According to the survey, there is a gap between the perceptions of firms by existing clients and prospects, with current clients rating firms' quality of work higher than their prospects. Sophie shares what this means for marketing teams.

There's a notable shift in how senior managers perceive consulting firms: those below the C-suite are becoming less positive. Sophie sets out how firms can respond.

If you enjoyed this conversation, then head over to our Client Perceptions reports page, where you'll discover much more about how senior decision makers perceive leading firms. We share our independent analysis by geography, sector, and service lines, with recent reports including those on financial services, energy & resources, and the US market. Use these reports to gain insight into client priorities, competitor strengths, and market gaps to better position your brand. You can access the reports directly or contact us for more information.