What exactly does a consultant do on a daily basis?

As someone considering a career in consulting, particularly in a strategic management role at a firm like McKinsey or BCG, I’m trying to understand the daily reality beyond the high-level descriptions of “problem-solving” and “client advising.” Could someone explain in concrete terms what a consultant actually does hour by hour? Specifically, I’m curious about:
1. How much time is spent on tasks like data analysis, market research, and Excel modeling versus client-facing activities?
2. What does a typical daily or weekly schedule look like—e.g., early meetings, travel days, blocks of independent work?
3. How much collaboration happens with junior team members versus senior partners?
4. What work happens on the road versus in the office?
5. Are there recurring non-billable activities like internal training or business development?
In short, I want a realistic breakdown of the daily workflow, responsibilities, and rhythm of consulting—beyond the typical “solve complex business problems” answer.

A consultant’s daily activities are highly dependent on their industry, specialization, client engagement phase, and firm culture, but typically include:

1. Client Meetings & Stakeholder Engagement:

   • Conducting kickoff meetings to align on project scope, deliverables, and timelines.
   • Leading weekly or bi-weekly status updates with client teams to share progress and address concerns.
   • Facilitating workshops for brainstorming, requirement gathering, or solution validation.
   • Interviewing client employees, executives, and end-users to gather insights and feedback.

2. Data Analysis & Research:

   • Sourcing and cleaning data from client systems, databases, or third-party sources.
   • Performing quantitative analysis using tools like Excel, SQL, Tableau, Power BI, or Python/R to identify trends, root causes, or opportunities.
   • Conducting market research, competitor analysis, or financial modeling to support recommendations.

3. Problem-Solving Strategy Development**:

   • Deciphering client challenges (e.g., inefficiencies, declining revenue, strategic shifts) using frameworks (e.g., SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces).
   • Developing hypotheses and designing actionable solutions tailored to client constraints.
   • Drafting slide decks or reports outlining findings, analyses, and recommendations.

4. Project Execution & Deliverable Management:

   • Creating detailed project plans, assigning tasks to team members, and tracking progress against milestones.
   • Writing key deliverables such as business cases, implementation roadmaps, or operational playbooks.
   • Reviewing work for accuracy, consistency, and alignment with client expectations.

5. Internal Collaboration & Communication:

   • Participating in daily internal team stand-ups to synchronize tasks and blockers.
   • Coordinating with support teams (e.g., data scientists, industry specialists) for technical insights.
   • Updating firm leadership on project status, risks, and resource needs.

6. Travel & Logistics:

   • Frequent travel to client sites for on-site meetings, workshops, or site visits (common for strategy or operations consultants).
   • Managing travel bookings, accommodations, and expense reports.

7. Professional Development & Learning:

   • Allocating time to study industry trends, read firm knowledge repositories, or complete mandatory training.
   • Attending internal training on new methodologies or tools.
8. Client Relationship Management:
   • Proactively identifying potential issues and proposing mitigation plans.
   • Nurturing relationships with client champions and decision-makers to ensure buy-in.
   • Delivering final presentations or handover sessions at project milestones.

Contextual Variations:

• Peak Phases: During initial diagnosis (heavy research/interviewing) or solution design (intense collaboration).
• Support Roles: Junior consultants often focus on data crunching, slide formatting, and field research; senior leads manage client strategy and team guidance.
• Remote Work: Virtual meetings replace on-site visits; digital tools (Miro, Slack) enable asynchronous collaboration.
• Balancing Act: Consultants juggle multiple projects, requiring strict time management to meet competing deadlines.

Emphasis remains on driving client results through structured problem-solving, data-backed insights, and seamless collaboration—all while adapting dynamically to shifting priorities.