Building Momentum in 2026: Financial & Operational Strategies for Modern Consultancies

As consultancies look ahead to 2026, one thing is clear: the pressure is rising. Firms are being asked to deliver more with fewer resources, tighter budgets, and less time, all while protecting profitability and keeping teams engaged.

In our recent webinar, hosted alongside mutherboard.com, a Platinum Projectworks Partner, we explored the financial and operational methods modern consulting firms need to scale sustainably.‍

🎬 Watch the full webinar recording here: Building Momentum in 2026 - YouTube recording.

The Consultancy Challenge in 2026

Professional services leaders are navigating increasing complexity:

• Higher expectations for operational efficiency
• Reduced budgets and limited capacity
• Growing pressure to forecast accurately and deliver profitably

In 2026, the firms that succeed won’t simply be the busiest. They’ll be the ones that can resource, forecast, and deliver projects without operational chaos.

Why Operational Visibility Matters

Many consultancies still rely on disconnected systems across finance, project delivery, and HR. When information is spread across spreadsheets and siloed tools, it becomes much harder to see what’s really happening in the business.

That lack of visibility often leads to:

• Forecast inaccuracies
• Margin erosion
• Missed opportunities for early intervention
• Employee burnout and costly turnover

During the session, we shared how firms can lose 5–8% margin per project through scope creep, rework, and admin overhead. On top of that, replacing an employee can cost upwards of £120k, making burnout an expensive issue as well as a human one.

Resource Planning and Time Tracking: Two Critical Levers

Two of the most powerful drivers of consulting performance are resource planning and time tracking.

Resource Planning (Forward-Looking)

Resource planning helps firms understand future capacity and allocate the right people to the right work before problems appear.

Time Tracking (Retrospective)

Time tracking captures actual effort spent, giving teams the insight they need to improve delivery and stay financially on track.

Used together, these disciplines create stronger forecasting, tighter project financial management, and healthier delivery teams.

We also discussed the importance of culture here. Time tracking works best when it’s positioned as a tool for better planning and reduced stress, not micromanagement.

Real Consulting Growth Stories Across Industries

A highlight of the webinar was hearing real examples of consulting firms using technology and mature processes to scale successfully.

We shared three customer stories across architecture, software, and engineering consulting:

• Scendea replaced multiple disconnected systems with Projectworks, achieving 168% growth and gaining clearer financial insight.
• BDNA reduced manual admin and improved project intelligence, driving 60% growth with strong team adoption.
• MBB improved utilisation data and project controls, scaling to 277% growth while reducing operational burden.

Each example showed what becomes possible when firms invest in the right foundations.

Building Momentum with Integrated Consulting Software

The key takeaway from the webinar was simple: profitable growth in 2026 requires integrated systems, disciplined processes, and real operational visibility.

When consultancies can spot issues early, forecast with confidence, and support their teams effectively, scaling becomes far more achievable.

Ready to Scale Your Consultancy in 2026?

If you want better visibility across projects, stronger forecasting, and more control over margins, the right systems and processes make all the difference.

Projectworks helps consulting firms replace disconnected tools with one platform for project delivery, resourcing, time tracking, and financial performance.

If you’re ready to see what this could look like in your own firm, book a personalised demo to explore Projectworks in action or start a free trial and take the first step toward more profitable delivery in 2026