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Many businesses are turning to consulting and staffing firms as a way of filling internal gaps and finding solutions to existing and impending problems. Accordingly, the consulting market has an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.30% from 2021 to 2026, making consulting services relevant to modern business. Per the Global Consulting Service Market – Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021-2026) report, “There is a growing need for management consulting services,” especially in the European market. While the U.S. currently leads the way as “the largest revenue-generating consulting service market in the world,” that number is still growing, and it’s now extending overseas.
So, it’s not a question then of whether consulting services are still pertinent, but whom you should rely on and trust to supply them. The United States reigns supreme in the consulting services market primarily because it’s “the home of top global consultancy firms” that cater to a wide range of audiences and excel in bringing tech-savvy knowledge and advancement to a worldwide market. But not all consulting and staffing agencies operate similarly — varying in size, skill, industry focus, and delivery of services.
Per the report, financial consulting services show the highest growth rate. But while fiscal management is a popular option, there are a lot of advantages to using consultants in other areas, as well. Most company operations involve some level of regulatory compliance, planning, software, or technology-based capabilities to implement heightened security, risk management, transparency, connectivity, functionality, consistency, and proper oversight.
Healthcare technology, information technology (IT), manufacturing, and communications are all high on the list as industries needing services from highly skilled, expert consultants to help drive ongoing business success. These niche markets require people with defined and perfected skills to really make a difference in today’s highly competitive landscape. Problems need to be fixed quickly and correctly the first time to keep up with market trends and avoid any significant company disruptions that can render you in crisis or irrelevant.
At Oxford, we believe in working together to find solutions. Our work goes beyond simply fulfilling your staffing needs, setting us apart from other firms similarly situated to us. We are dedicated to forging lasting relationships and professional bonds that set you up to succeed proactively, rather than reacting only after things go wrong. Your business is important to you. So, we make it our business to see your problems through to satisfactory resolutions. And we don’t want to stop there. It just makes sense to keep great relationships going. When we say, “We’re with you every step of the way,” we don’t just mean to the end of the transaction. We are here to meet all your business needs from now until you run out of problems. And hopefully, with our level of talent, we can reduce your number of industry-related issues over time.
Problem-solving is basic. If a problem arises, you find a fix. But at Oxford, we don’t want to just fix problems—we want to provide long-term solutions that mitigate future problems. And we want to cultivate relationships that work to benefit everyone, so at the end of the day, we can genuinely say we’re with you every step of the way. We’ll be in stride with you today, tomorrow, and throughout the duration of our partnership—providing you with business outcomes that make a difference and have long-lasting impacts on your overall success.
Identifying Your Needs: What Is the Oxford Process?
The Oxford process begins with us asking you the right questions to identify your needs. We make it a point to get to know you, your company, and the role you’re looking to fill or the goal you’re hoping to accomplish. We listen to you to shape an experience specific to you. Key identifiers include budget, required technical skills, start date, deliverables, and time frame or deadlines.
Based on the information received, we will match you with consultants from our vast network that Oxford has pre-vetted, and re-vetted against your specific needs. We will present to you our top two to three candidates and together help you select the best individuals for your needs based on our assessment, or schedule a quick interview with you and the candidate(s). Once we understand your requirements, you should receive qualified candidates in 24-48 hours. After establishing which consultant(s) you feel will best meet your needs, onboarding starts. There are no other hoops to jump through or red tape to overcome. Oxford handles everything proactively for a seamless and stress-free process.
Oxford’s Proactive Approach
We begin looking out for you before you even need us. By the time you call on us to provide the talent you need to solve a problem, we’ve already started the work long before the phone rang, and we likely already have a solution in mind. Oxford practices proactive recruiting, meaning we are searching for people with in-demand skills and screening them via lengthy interviews before we even hear from you. That way, when you need a skill set, we can respond by meeting that need almost instantaneously.
Our proactive approach allows us to rapidly respond to your needs with proven experts available for new engagements as soon as you ask. We check references, run background checks, and regularly review each of our consultant candidates to provide you with the best people in the industry. We also maintain close relationships with both our network of consultants and our clients to ensure continuing professional development, outcomes, and success.
Services: How Can Oxford Assist Your Organization?
When we connect you with a consultant or candidate, we don’t just want to match you up and walk away. Oxford believes in building relationships with real people. We focus on incorporating trust and longevity into each of our interactions. By connecting with the brightest minds in the industry and leveraging those connections to continue advancing our clients’ business interests, we hope to stand apart from those that fail to correctly identify and drive the initiatives of their clientele. We want to engage in great relationships and establish quality outcomes by addressing the needs of both our clients and our consultants and enmeshing the two to make significant impacts. In other words, we are dedicated to being with you every step of the way.
But what do we really mean when we say that? Here are some examples of what that statement might look like in real-world situations:
- Are you having a problem with your software system? Oxford can help!
- My problem is unique—how will I find the right person out there with the right qualifications to fix it? Oxford is on it! We have a vast, highly skilled network of consultants ready to tackle most any problem—even the most niche, intricate, and unique problems.
- I chose a consultant, but they’re from another country, and they have visa issues or a complicated background. I need to resolve my problem FAST because my software system is down, and as a business, we’re bleeding money because of the disruption—what do I do? All our consultants are pre-screened, vetted, and ready to work. Should an unexpected problem arise, Oxford will have a speedy solution!
- My consultant is having issues traveling to the job site or getting lodging or housing—what do I do? Talk to your Oxford Account Manager—they can help! We will ensure everyone has what they need to get the job done.
- My consultant is butting heads with a direct report, not getting along with their co-workers, or there’s a serious HR issue—how do I handle this situation, and who do I call? Your Oxford Account Manager is ready and willing to hear from you! You don’t have to do a thing. Your AM will intervene swiftly and professionally and get you a replacement FAST if needed.
- I need to pay my consultant—how do I deal with payroll issues, wage negotiations, tax laws, direct deposit, and other circumstances regarding pay? You’re off the hook! Oxford handles all of that.
Outcomes: How Do Oxford’s Solutions Make a Difference?
Our solutions to your problems can make a difference for your organization’s bottom line. We have more than 3,600 consultants on assignment with over 56,000 professionals in our global network ready to assist you. With an average of 12+ years of industry experience, these individuals have knowledge and skills applicable to many problems faced in healthcare, IT, financial services, engineering, and life sciences.
Oxford’s solutions can positively impact your company by:
Saving You Time
Your time is money, and we don’t want to take advantage of your predicament that’s now threatening your ability to continue productivity and make a profit. You don’t have the luxury of patience when you’re “stuck” and need trustworthy and expert help now. We strive to fill roles within 24 to 48 hours, avoiding time spent on recruiting. We want to get you the solutions you need fast so you can get on with operations and recover quickly from any setback. We’re waiting to help you, so you don’t have to wait for help when you require it most.
Saving You Money
The average employee cost is 20% higher than base salary (based on a $100k salary) when additional administrative expenses like benefits, payroll, overtime costs, and overhead are factored in. Consultants don’t require all the “bells and whistles” that come with an employee. The fee you pay for a consultant encompasses all costs for that consultant.
You don’t have to train them either, meaning you receive more hours of direct value added than you would if you had to hire someone who requires initial or ongoing technical guidance to perform their job duties.
Finally, Oxford provides you with solutions when you need them as you need them. Essentially, you will only pay for the results you decide are necessary for a set period, giving you the latitude to tackle projects as it suits your budget and business goals.
Providing You With Greater Expertise
Data shows that the average U.S. company spent $1,071 per employee on training costs, according to Training Magazine’s 2021 Training Industry Report. Broken down by the size of various companies, statistics reveal that the average 2021 training budget was:
- Large companies: $17.5M
- Midsize companies: $1.3M
- Small companies: $341,505
The good news is when you partner with Oxford for your consulting and staffing needs, the training is already done. We’ve already ensured that our consultants have the qualifications and experience to excel within their niche skillset. We have a network of professionals with high levels of expertise ready to take on your project with finesse and skill—no fuss and no loss of productivity. You get your money’s worth from the start.
Reducing Turnover
Onboarding employees is costly. Pair that with an overall average turnover rate of about 47%, and you’re looking at a high cost of doing business. Also, when workers leave, you can expect to pay out as much as 33% of their annual salary to replace them, according to Work Institute’s 2017 Retention Report.
But if you partner with Oxford, you can rest assured that a high-quality candidate will help fill gaps in your team to avoid turnover that would affect the company financially and negatively impact morale, making for a less stressed and more productive work environment.
Partnering With Oxford: From Problem To Resolution
We value our partnerships. At Oxford, we believe that people and strong relationships build trust and lead to unparalleled outcomes. With a 35-year track record for success and customized solutions, we’ve been able to strike the right balance of quality and control to deliver superior results. When you partner with Oxford, we aim to provide you with rapid access to skilled professionals and proven methods for project delivery.
We are leaders in staffing and consulting services who pledge to be with you from problem to resolution. Work with us, and we will commit to your business and its long-term success, helping you achieve your continued goals via our consultants’ top-tier performances reliant on tangible solutions. If you need us, we’re there, serving 44 countries around the globe and supporting 36,000 companies over the last 25 years. We have 850 employees worldwide, working hard to drive our purpose home. That’s what we mean when we say: “We’re with you every step of the way.”