
E-consulting

The Internet is still a revolution. E-consultants concern themselves with solving problems connected with electronic business (or e-business) and electronic commerce (e-commerce) on a widespread basis. E-business refers to any kind of business conducted online, whereas e-commerce specifically involves a transfer of monetary funds over the Internet.
E-consulting began as web consulting, which involved mostly front-end design work: programming, graphic design, and prototypes. With the proliferation of dot-coms, almost all consulting companies now offer a wider range of services: e-commerce, B2B, valuations, branding, marketing, and so on.
Pure-play e-consulting firms have taken a massive beating. Many, like MarchFIRST, are gone; others, such as Razorfish, are probably not long for the business world. Still others, like Sapient, have hunkered down and are waiting for the next tech upturn.
Examples of typical e-consulting engagements:
- Transforming a department store's online ordering systems
- Creating online catalogues for a mail order company
- Advising a mutual fund company on how to provide its clients with access to account information online
Leading e-consulting firms include:
- Digitas
- Razorfish
- Sapient

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This article is excerpted from the Vault Career Guide to Consulting.
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