There’s one particular area from this year’s Best Firms to Work For survey that tells you, perhaps, all you need to know about Point B, the 16-year old, Seattle-based operation management firm.
When it comes to Work/Life Balance, Point B simply blows away the competition. In the survey, it far outpaces any of its large-firm competition. Astonishingly, its scores also beat the Best Small Firms to Work For when it comes to Work/Life Balance—an incredibly impressive feat when many of those small firms are one-tenth the size of Point B.
“Our firm was founded by consulting veterans who sought to create a firm where top consulting talent could make a difference and thrive, without having to sacrifice their personal life to achieve excellence,” says Paul Lambert, President of Point B Consulting. “While most consulting firms offer plane tickets and hotel stays, for the past 16 years Point B has promoted the choice to take a more balanced approach. Our consultants recognize that this kind of flexibility gives them the power to bring their absolute best to all they do for our clients.”
Even though Point B has been pioneering the local model since 1995, that alone, of course, does not make it one of the best consulting firms to work for. “What differentiates Point B is our practical knowledge, expertise and trust. We hire the right people, with deep functional and industry knowledge. We provide them a values driven work environment that gives them flexibility, ownership and a voice in the firm,” Lambert says.
“And, most importantly, we build trusted relationships by delivering for our clients… from strategy to execution and all points in between. Through our long-term, objective point of view, we build a foundation of trust.”
That foundation is paying off in a big way, particularly in such an unstable economic environment. Since 2009, Lambert says, the stakes have become higher for Point B as clients engage the firm more often in their most difficult challenges.
“Our consultants respond by doing what we do best, delivering excellent client service,” Lambert says. “Clients recognized these efforts, with many increasing their activity with us even as they significantly cut their overall consultant spend.”
For our clients, this award only confirms what so many of them have realized through years of partnership—that Point B is different type of consulting firm, Lambert says.
“The Consulting magazine Best Firms to Work For award is a source of great pride for everyone at Point B,” he says. “It is recognition of the passion our consultants have for client service excellence and our relentless focus on building a values-driven company and culture that allows our exceptional people to thrive.”
Q&AConsulting
asked Paul Lambert, President of Point B Consulting, about the future. Specifically, we asked him about the firm, the market opportunities and his top priority over the next 12 months. Lambert’s response is below. “Across our firm, we are excited about the opportunity to expand our client services, and bring deeper expertise and practical wisdom to engagements. We are also excited about the new consultants we are hiring into our firm.
“They are tremendously talented professionals who share our passion for excellence and will make great long-term contributions to our firm. We are seeing persistently high demand in a number of segments including healthcare, retail, and technology. These clients are seeing both growth opportunities and the opportunity to improve performance.”
“Our priorities have remained consistent over the last few years: client service excellence and a relentless focus on a firm culture that attracts and retains exceptional people. For our clients, we will expand our service offerings as we look to support their needs, providing deeper expertise in key services and industries. For our consultants, new career paths are developing that recognize the numerous ways to add value to our clients and the firm.”
—J.K.
