The best team management software for managing a team of consultants

In the consulting business, managing resources and teams is a major challenge to guarantee the success of projects AND the profitability of the consulting company! With a diverse team of consultants, it’s essential to master time management, use high-performance digital tools, and exercise appropriate leadership. This article presents the best software for effectively managing a team of consultants, focusing on their features and how they can help managers optimize planning, improve productivity and facilitate instant communication with stakeholders.

How to manage a team of consultants effectively

Managing consultants effectively requires a deep understanding of each member’s skills and expertise. The manager must set clear, realistic objectives, taking into account the skills and availability of each individual. Communication must be continuous and transparent to share essential information and maintain team cohesion. Performance monitoring is also crucial to identify areas for improvement and provide appropriate coaching. A good manager also knows how to manage workloads to avoid overwork, while using tools to optimize schedules and adjust strategies in real time.

Comparison of the best team management software

Teambook, a simple solution for managing a team of consultants

This software stands out for its ability to efficiently plan resources and manage skills. It enables consultants’ availability to be quickly visualized, and schedules to be adjusted according to project needs by simple click-and-drop. The interface is highly intuitive, making it easy for all teams to get to grips with immediately, while offering detailed reports for in-depth performance analysis. Key features:

• Real-time planning: adjust resources and schedules according to project needs.
• Skills management: identification of each consultant’s skills for optimal task allocation.
• Medium-term capacity analysis and planning (6-24 months).
• One-click timesheet management by copying planning data
• Dashboards and reports: track performance, hours worked and consultant occupancy rates.

Benefits:

• Facilitates the management of diversified teams, thanks to clear visualization of skills and availability.
• Enables agile planning, essential for adapting to frequent changes in consulting projects.
• Provides detailed analyses for proactive resource management and productivity optimization.

Price :

• Offers a free 30-day, full-featured trial.
• Starter offer at $3 per month for planning up to 10 projects for small, growing structures.
• Plans start from $45 per month for a batch of 40 projects, with sliding scale rates for larger teams.

Opinion: Users appreciate Teambook’s ability to manage resources accurately and efficiently. Detailed reports are particularly useful for managers wanting an overview of projects and team performance. Finally, users appreciate the numerous integrations with other management tools, including team member calendars.

Trello, for visualizing and managing teams

With its Kanban boards, Trello offers visual task management, ideal for keeping track of to-do lists and ongoing projects. It enables instant communication and smooth collaboration between team members. Trello cards can also be customized to include detailed information on each task. Key features :

• Kanban boards: Visualization of tasks and projects, making it easy to organize and track to-do lists.
• Customizable cards: For each task, you can add descriptions, deadlines and attachments, making it easy to share relevant information.
• Integration with other tools: Like Slack, Google Drive, and other applications, for centralized project management.

Benefits:

• Highly flexible and easy to use, ideal for teams of consultants who often need to adapt quickly to changes.
• Enables clear visual management, helping teams track progress and priorities.

Price:

• Free version available, offering basic functionality sufficient for many projects.
• Paid plans from €10 per user per month for advanced features such as automation and additional integrations.

Opinion: Users appreciate Trello’s simplicity and flexibility, as well as its ability to integrate easily with other tools. However, the absence of resource management functionalities is a frequent point of criticism.

Skello, for real-time schedule management

This software is designed for time and attendance management, particularly useful for teams with flexible or irregular schedules. Skello facilitates availability management and task planning, while integrating reporting features to monitor performance. Key features :

• Scheduling: creation of detailed schedules, tailored to the specific needs of consultants and projects.
• Attendance and absence management: tracking of hours worked and vacations, with centralized data management.
• Centralized communication: integrated communication tool to facilitate information exchange and coordination.

Benefits:

• Particularly useful for teams with variable schedules or complex planning needs.
• Simplifies administrative management, including contracts and payslips.
• Adaptable to various sectors, offering flexibility in human resources management.

Pricing :

• Customized pricing based on team size and specific business needs.

Opinion: Users appreciate Skello’s ability to manage schedules and centralize information. They note that the tool is particularly useful for companies with complex scheduling needs. Some users would like a more modern interface and increased integration options.

Float.com, resource management consulting

Float is a resource management tool offering advanced planning and clear visualization of workloads. It is particularly useful for anticipating resource requirements and optimizing task allocation. The user-friendly interface enables rapid adaptation by the team. Key features :

• Resource planning: Visualization and management of workloads, with forecasting capabilities for future projects.
• Time and cost tracking: Detailed tracking of hours worked and associated costs, for accurate financial management of projects.
• Multiple integrations: Compatibility with tools such as Asana, Jira, and Trello, for integrated project management.

Benefits:

• Enables proactive resource management, helping to avoid overload and maximize efficiency.
• Intuitive interface for easy adaptation by English-speaking teams (the only one available for Float).
• Powerful tool for resource planning and optimization.

Price :

• Entry: $6/month per person (resource planning only)
• Pro: $10/month per person (resource planning + time tracking)
• Corporate: customized pricing

Opinion: Float is often praised for its clear interface. Users particularly appreciate the ease with which they can view workloads and adjust schedules. Some, however, find that the cost is quickly high, given that the tool charges on a per-user basis.

Resource Guru, for managing consultant availability

Specializing in resource management, Resource Guru enables you to manage the availability of consultants and any other project resource (room, beamer, etc.). It offers detailed reporting features to monitor resource utilization and adjust strategies accordingly. Key features :

• Resource reservation calendar: consultant availability management and project planning.
• Resource utilization tracking: Detailed reports on resource utilization, facilitating workload analysis and optimization.
• Integrations: Compatibility with project management and communication tools, for seamless coordination.

Benefits:

• Provides clear visibility of resource availability, essential for efficient management of consulting projects.
• Helps maximize team efficiency by avoiding resource conflicts.
• Easy-to-use interface, facilitating adoption by teams.

Price:

• From 6.65 USD (the 4.16 USD version is not very usable, as there is no reporting) per user per month.
• A 30-day free trial is available.

Opinion: Resource Guru users appreciate the ease of use and visibility it offers over resource management, while noting that the graphical interface is distinctive. Detailed reports are particularly useful for tracking performance and optimizing projects. However, cost is sometimes perceived as a disadvantage, especially for small teams.

How do consultants use these planning tools?

1. Skills management and task allocation: Teambook helps managers identify the specific skills required for each project and assign consultants accordingly, optimizing the use of available resources.
2. Progress tracking and communication: Trello and Skello are used to track the progress of tasks and ensure ongoing communication with consultants and stakeholders. These tools enable tasks and deadlines to be visualized, promoting clear, shared organization.
3. Performance analysis and adjustments: Teambook, Float.com and Resource Guru are invaluable for analyzing team performance and adjusting strategies during the course of a project. They enable proactive resource management and help managers make informed decisions to improve team efficiency.

Best practices for maximizing the effectiveness of these tools

To maximize the effectiveness of these software applications, it is essential to encourage active adoption of the tools, and if necessary, to set up ongoing training for users. Managers must also ensure that processes are optimized and that user feedback is incorporated on a regular basis. It is crucial to choose tools adapted to the specific needs of teams, and to use them consistently to facilitate communication and task management.

How to facilitate and manage teams of consultants?

These software packages offer innovative solutions to the challenges of team management in the consulting industry. By choosing the right tool, managers can improve productivity, secure projects and develop a more agile and efficient approach. To find out how Teambook can help you optimize the management of your teams, try Teambook free for 30 days and don’t hesitate to contact us for a half 1:1 to find the solution that best suits your needs.