The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has impacted the consulting industry in ways that seem potentially ruinous. But do not lose hope. Yes, consultants are used to traveling a lot, and widespread travel restrictions make that impossible. And much of consultancy work is done face-to-face in internal and client meetings, which can’t be done when gatherings are prohibited. There is also the fear that businesses will suspend contracts in the economic downturn.
But we have an advantage this time that we haven't had in past catastrophes. We have the internet. We can have virtual meetings, share documents online and even give presentations with conference software that lets everyone be in the same “room” at the same time. So travel restrictions are less disruptive than in the past—people can do much of what’s needed almost as well from home.
And, with so many employees now working from home, many businesses need to upgrade their systems without delay. This creates a demand for consultants to help them make those changes efficiently and effectively.
So although the pandemic is horrible, and we all feel anxious about our future, consultants can be confident that the industry will survive. And inventive survival strategies might just become lasting improvements.