Trump prices were good for consulting companies

President Donald TrumpThe prices have shaken the financial markets, stimulated consumer storage and forced companies to prepare for their results.

While another Trump’s efforts, Doge, has harmed the council industry, The prices, aimed at shrinking the trade deficit of $ 1.2 billion in goods imported by the United States in 2024, have so far spared the service sector, leaving largely intact consultants.

This puts them in a unique position to help companies try to navigate in changing commercial dynamics and the rise in costs. The leaders of McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, PWC, SIB Consulting and KPMG told Business Insider that they were more often used by existing and new customers looking for advice.

Kristin Bohl, a PWC partner for customs and international trade that directs The four large The company’s tariff advisory work told Bi that since Trump’s announcement on April 2, PwC “has been permanently in demand.”

She said prices are a multidimensional problem, so several lines of PWC activities, including finance, tax, logistics and technology, are in demand, which has made it possible to “double or triple” in the interest of customers.

McKinsey & Company launched a “geopolitical” practice over a year ago, Bi Cindy Levy, a senior partner of the firm, told Bi Cindy. “Since then, we have seen the interest at the same time for a long time and new customers-in particular around the planning of scenarios, the interfunctional response and navigation in an increasingly uncertain global environment,” she said.

McKinsey hears businesses from several sectors, but in particular these “tall quarters”, including semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, automobile and electronics. The company also notes “an increasing interest” of the general public sectors, which are particularly sensitive to prices and supply, said Levy.

Rich Leser, BCG World President, told Bi that the company had had several “new conversations” with existing customers. “Trade and prices were not a hot topic a year ago,” he said.

It is a good timing, in a way. As part of the effort led by Elon Musk at the White House Doge Office to reduce costs, federal agencies were invited to review and justify their expenses for consultants.

Earlier, several consulting firms told BI that government contracts constituted a significant part of their income, threatening their results. Thus, the increase in demand from current customers – and new interests for new ones – for advice on Navigation on Trump’s Trade War was a necessary victory for consulting firms.

Lessser have said that customers are largely looking for “an overview of how we see that playing”. However, tariff discussions have also brought “renewed energy” to longer-term issues on productivity conduct and AI adoption, he added.

SIB, a advice specializing in cost reduction, told BI that he had seen “a significant increase in incoming requests since April 2”, based on the 43% jump he saw after Trump took office.

“This last wave of interest is clearly linked to costs related to prices, because business leaders are preparing for price volatility and its training effects in their supply chains and supplier contracts,” said SIB CEO Shannon Copeland, in BI.

In KPMG, the head of national operations of the company, Paul Hencoski, told BI that it was normal to see an increase in demand when there is a change of government, but that the increase had been “particularly acute” in the last six months. “We see two -digit growth in our income and reservations in several sectors, and our pipeline is up from year to year,” said Hencoski.

Hencoski said he had seen a high demand for the activity sectors that are most relevant to prices: the fiscal and commercial practice of KPMG, the services of the supply chain and risk and regulatory compliance. “Admittedly, any type of economic slowdown could affect us, but at present, we have not seen any material impact,” he said.

Companies want to act now

Customers largely turn to consulting companies to obtain advice on how to navigate the expected short -term uncertainty.

BCG customers want to “win the 2025 plane reasonably,” said less. However, they are also aware that it is “only a step of a long -term trip”.

While companies focus on the management of immediate disturbances – shocks of the supply chain to change in competitive landscape – many also re -evaluate their longer -term strategies, including investment in capital and talent.

“Everyone has the impression that this is not the time to make big investments when you do not know the environment in which you operate,” said less. “It starts with the allocation of capital, but even extends to the amount of hiring to be done in an uncertain landscape.”

McKinsey’s Levy said that customers’ great concern was to remain competitive. “We see that companies focus not only on the management of disturbances, but also on how they can play the offensive – whether it is to diversify the supply chains, to move faster than competitors or to identify openings in an evolving landscape.”

The PWC tariff manager said there was the request for existing customers who already have sophisticated personality strategies, but must find how to adjust them for the changing landscape.

Large companies are concerned about their investment strategies, that they can hire new people, their manufacturing footprint and how they can extend operations.

PWC also hears new companies that have not been previously affected by prices and do not have “muscle memory around the way of being strategic in this space,” she said.

Bohl said the impact of prices could be enough to eliminate small businesses to continue working. She said they wanted to understand the impacts and develop potential strategies.

Héncoski de KPMG said that his customers “looking for a calm in the storm”.

The strongest demand comes from the industrial manufacturing sector, where companies must find alternative sources for components and materials, and the retail sector of consumers, where it is the product supply chain, he said.

There is “absolutely the desire to act now,” added Hencoski.

“Their sequel C, their boards of directors, their shareholders demand that they have a plan, and therefore they actively digest information because they change every day and develop an action plan at the same time,” he said.

The CEO of SIB also told Bi that there was a feeling of urgency from customers.

“We note a final change towards immediate action. Most leaders recognize that the wait could leave them exposed – especially if the sellers already incorporate increases related to the prices in contracts or invoices,” said Copeland.

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