For Steve Smith, Managing Partner of Plus Consulting, the most unique aspect of the firm is its people. "The belief in the work hard/play hard mentality brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds who work not only as a team but interact outside the office, as well," Smith says.
It's that type of camaraderie that leads to employee-organized social events after hours. The result? Building a culture that most other firms can only dream about. Another payoff is being a Best Small Firm to Work For three years running.
Smith attributes the firm's success, in part, to two key differentiators—"competitive collaboration" and a "never-fail mentality" when dealing with customers. "Clients are pleasantly surprised when their consultant from Plus becomes part of their team and quickly adds value," he says. "Our clients view us as their trusted advisors, knowledgeable about the products and services we offer over many-year partnerships."
On the survey, Plus Consulting outpaced much of the competition in the areas of Client Engagement and Career Development. In recent years, Smith says, Plus has grown as a company by adopting a formal mentorship program and by making significant investments in training, far above industry norms. That, in turn has led to high retention rates, thus "enabling us to serve our customers with a more consistent approach," Smith says. "The two concepts truly do blend together, if you have a high turnover rate, the client experience is affected greatly."
As far as 2012, Smith says he's excited because the firm has made significant investments in new and emerging technology, enabling it to stay ahead of the curve and positioning itself ahead of the competition. "We have the experience and capabilities to deliver mission critical solutions for enterprise customers," Smith says.
—J.K.
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.