How do you increase revenue without burning out or sacrificing the quality of your services? After 15 years of growing my consulting business, I’ve learned that it’s not about working harder—it’s about working smarter. And one of the best ways to work smarter is by using the right HR technology solutions.
Incorporating tech into my business not only made my life easier, but it also helped me scale, take on more clients, and deliver more value—all while boosting my revenue. In this article, I’ll share five HR technology solutions that can help you do the same. You can't afford to miss out on these key HR trends and technology to boost HR consulting revenue.
The HR consulting landscape has evolved drastically in the past decade. What used to be a people-centric, paper-heavy business has now become a blend of human expertise and tech-driven solutions. And while technology won’t replace the human element in HR, it will make your job as a consultant more efficient, scalable, and profitable.
Here are five types of HR tech solutions that can help you streamline your business and grow your bottom line.
Let’s face it—administrative tasks are a necessary evil in HR consulting. From payroll processing to benefits administration and compliance tracking, these are the kinds of tasks that can eat up hours of your week. And while these tasks are critical, they don’t necessarily add to your revenue directly.
That’s where automation comes in. Automation tools like Gusto, BambooHR, and Zenefits can handle many of these repetitive tasks for you, allowing you to focus on higher-value work that clients are willing to pay a premium for. For example, instead of spending time manually tracking compliance updates, you can use software that sends automatic alerts whenever there’s a regulatory change.
By automating tasks, you can serve more clients without increasing your workload. This means you can take on additional clients, scale your business, and increase your revenue without working longer hours.
A few years ago, I was handling payroll manually for a handful of clients. It was a time-consuming process, and I found myself turning down new clients because I didn’t have the capacity. Once I switched to an automated system like Gusto, I cut down the time spent on payroll by 80%. That freed me up to take on more clients, and my revenue grew significantly.
If you want to position yourself as a strategic partner for your clients (and command higher fees), you need to offer more than just basic HR services. Clients want data-driven insights—information that helps them make smarter decisions about workforce planning, employee retention, and performance management. That’s where data analytics tools come in.
Platforms like Lattice, 15Five, and Namely allow you to collect and analyze data on employee engagement, performance, and retention. You can then use that data to provide your clients with actionable insights that go beyond the surface-level advice they can get from anyone.
When you can offer data-driven insights, you can charge premium rates for your services. Clients are willing to pay more for in-depth, strategic advice backed by hard data, rather than just relying on gut feelings or general industry trends.
I had a client struggling with employee turnover, but they couldn’t figure out why people were leaving. By implementing a data analytics tool, we discovered that employees were disengaged due to a lack of career development opportunities. Based on that insight, I helped the client create a leadership development program, which improved retention rates. This success allowed me to upsell additional services and deepen my consulting relationship with the client, increasing my revenue.
One of the biggest limitations we face as consultants is that there’s only one of us, and we can only handle so much work in a day. But with the right HR software, you can scale your services without having to hire a large team.
HR platforms like ADP, Paycor, and Workday allow you to offer clients a full suite of HR services—from payroll and benefits to compliance and employee management—all within one system. These platforms integrate everything in one place, making it easier to manage multiple clients simultaneously without missing a beat.
Offering scalable, tech-driven HR solutions enables you to serve more clients at once without needing to significantly increase your staff. This means you can offer comprehensive, high-value services while keeping overhead low and profit margins high.
When I started bundling HR software with my consulting services, I was able to create a recurring revenue model through monthly retainers. Clients loved the fact that they had access to an all-in-one HR solution, and I benefited from a steady income stream. It was a win-win for both sides, and my business grew as a result.
As human resources consultants, we’re often asked to provide training for our clients’ employees, whether it’s on compliance issues, leadership development, or diversity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. While in-person training used to be the standard, digital learning platforms now allow us to deliver training remotely—and charge for it.
Platforms like TalentLMS, Udemy for Business, and LinkedIn Learning make it easy to create, deliver, and monetize training programs. You can offer these programs as part of your consulting package or sell them as standalone services, creating a new revenue stream.
By offering training programs through digital platforms, you can serve more clients simultaneously and create scalable programs that don’t require your constant attention. Plus, you can continue to charge for access to the programs long after they’ve been created.
I worked with a client who needed ongoing compliance training for their employees. Instead of conducting workshops every quarter, I created an online training program using TalentLMS. Employees could complete the training at their own pace, and the client paid me an annual fee to maintain and update the program. This added a steady stream of passive income to my business.
Good communication is key to keeping clients happy—and happy clients stick around, which means recurring revenue for you. Project management tools like Asana, Monday.com, and Trello help you keep your projects organized, improve communication with clients, and ensure that deadlines are met.
These tools allow both you and your clients to track progress, assign tasks, and share updates in real time. When clients can see the value you’re providing and feel involved in the process, they’re more likely to continue working with you long-term.
Improved client communication and transparency lead to higher client satisfaction, which translates to repeat business and referrals. Happy clients are also more likely to expand the scope of work, which means more revenue for you.
I once worked with a client on a complex employee handbook overhaul. By using Asana, I was able to keep track of all the moving parts and keep the client informed every step of the way. They appreciated the transparency and the organized approach, which led them to extend their contract for additional HR services.
If you’re looking to grow your HR consulting business, it’s time to embrace the power of HR technology. From automating administrative tasks to offering scalable HR solutions, the right tech tools can help you increase your efficiency, offer more value to your clients, and ultimately boost your revenue.
Take some time to explore these solutions and think about how they can fit into your consulting practice. By investing in the right technology, you’ll be able to scale your business, serve more clients, and continue growing your revenue without sacrificing quality or burning yourself out.
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