Among shiny startups and massive tech companies, consulting firms may not seem quite as glamorous, but they do important work, offering businesses essential services and providing third-party expertise. These firms help businesses like the aforementioned startups evolve, grow and make crucial decisions.
Chicago-Based Consulting Firms to Know
- Grand Studio
- Carminati Consulting
- Nerdery
- Slalom
- West Monroe Partners
- Apexon
Type: Management Consulting and Technology Firm
What they do: ZS’ expertise covers a broad range of solutions, ranging from intelligent process automation to forecasting and revenue management. Its work focuses largely on the pharmaceutical and medtech sectors, but the firm also works with clients in industries like agriculture, travel and hospitality, retail and telecommunications.
Type: Digital Transformation Consultancy
What they do: Kin + Carta offers digital transformation services covering everything from data and artificial intelligence to strategy and innovation. As consultants working to modernize digital experiences and interfaces, the company’s experts aim to drive client choices toward increased ROI and improved product value.
Type: Digital Design Consultancy
What they do: Grand Studio is a UX strategy firm that serves Fortune 100 and 500 clients with product design and strategy, UX/UI design, qualitative research, service design and conversational UI consulting. Working across verticals with expertise in hospitality, healthcare, financial services and manufacturing, the team is dedicated to providing customized, high-end design services.
Type: Product development and software engineering solutions
What they do: EPAM is a leading global provider of product development and software engineering solutions. Since 1993, EPAM Systems, Inc. (NYSE: EPAM) has leveraged its software engineering expertise to become a leading global product development, digital platform engineering, and top digital and product design agency.
Type: Management Consultancy
What they do: 10Pearls provides experienced teams of consultants built around the belief that people matter and delivering value is the highest priority. Calling their consultants “unconsultants,” 10Pearls has the expertise of a large firm with the quick processes of a small one, providing better relationships with clients. The firm offers services like complete digital transformation, process optimization, L&D digital integration and technology transformation.
Type: Business and Technology Consultancy
What they do: West Monroe Partners works with businesses to address their most problematic challenges. The consulting firm works with clients across six industries, including healthcare, energy, finance and retail. West Monroe helps their clients with a variety of needs, from customer experience and digital transformation to operations and mergers, ultimately increasing revenue and reducing costs.
Type: Digital Solutions
What they do: Wipfli offers more than digital solutions and combines the sizable consulting and technology expertise of a top firm with a level of personal commitment and care that’s a true extension of its clients’ teams. The company’s focus is helping businesses thrive.
Type: Data + Analytics Consulting
What they do: Analytics8 helps organizations make smart, data-driven decisions by translating their data into meaningful and actionable information. The company believes that organizations thrive, lives are improved and the world is a better place when organizations understand and use the data around them.
Type: Digital Business Consultancy
What they do: Nerdery helps clients take the next step into the digital world. Whether a business has strategy, design or technology needs, the firm offers platform modernization, IoT enablement, cloud and collaborative services that help digital teams enhance future product output.
Type: Software and Technology Consultancy
What they do: Slalom is a modern consulting firm made up of strategists, engineers and advisors helping businesses take on new projects and transform their businesses capabilities. Working with companies like Alaska Airlines, REI and DSW, Slalom provides a huge variety of strategy, tech and transformation services.
Type: Management Consultancy
What they do: AArete is a global management firm using data and analytics to enhance businesses around the world. The firm helps companies and organizations cut costs, increase profits and enhance operational efficiency across legal, government, finance, manufacturing and more.
Type: Operations Consultancy
What they do: Argo Consulting works with businesses where operational efficiency is crucial. Largely working with clients in transportation, energy, manufacturing and pharmaceuticals, the firm is made up of consultants that bring their expertise straight from decades of experience in chemical plants, oil refineries, rail yards and more.
Type: Management and IT Consultancy
What they do: Clarity Partners is a management and IT firm offering a wide variety of services ranging from cloud and enterprise performance management to web design and customer application development. Rooted in Chicago, the firm shows it in their portfolio, having worked with The City of Chicago, Cook County, Metra and Chicago Park District.
Type: Growth Consultancy
What they do: Ground Floor Partners works with companies and organizations of all sizes, but specializes in small and early stage businesses. The firm helps clients establish strategies for sustainable growth through market research, feasibility studies and creating business and marketing plans.
Type: Management Consultancy
What they do: Vantage Leadership works with individuals, teams and entire organizations, helping clients enhance leadership and performance. Whether providing executive assessments for new talent or working with family businesses during leadership transitions, Vantage helps their clients make the best decisions possible.
Type: IT Consultancy
What they do: Carminati Consulting is an IT consulting firm providing a variety of tech-based services ranging from software application development and project management to predictive analytics and learning management platforms. The firm works largely with clients in healthcare and government, as well as companies in the private sector.
Type: Technology Consultancy
What they do: Businesses need to take advantage of every opportunity to streamline their interactions, so Apexon provides a competitive edge with its innovative technology. With Apexon, companies inform decisions with rich data collections, automate repetitive tasks, and provide reliable customer service with diverse communication channels. With countless resources at its disposal, Apexon tailors strategies to meet each client’s needs and adapt to their specific target audience.
