Five years since launching, Comatch cracks 10,000 consultants
Independent consultant matching company Comatch has reached another landmark – cracking the 10,000 mark of high-level expert advisors.
Only five years after launching in October of 2014, Comatch has achieved a major landmark: a database of 10,000 consultants and industry experts. But while assembling a veritable legion of freelance advisors represents a significant step for the firm in its vision to become the world’s leading access point for business expertise, Comatch continues to focus on quality over quantity.
Comatch is one of a growing number of companies which matches independent experts with organsitions, tapping into the increasing trend toward freelance consulting – with some platforms now listing over 100,000 names. But what makes Comatch different, according to its founders Christoph Hardt and Jan Schächtele – both ex-McKinsey – is its insistence on top-level talent.
All of the expert advisors in Comatch’s database are vetted and hand-picked. “We have a two-stage selection process to ensure that all profiles meet the highest standards,” Hardt explained. “At least two years of experience in a well-reputed consultancy or ten years in a certain industry are a must, followed by a personal interview to check soft skills and personal fit.”Demonstrating these standards, more than 3,000 of the experts in its network have a background at top strategy consulting firms including McKinsey, BCG, Roland Berger and Bain, along with the consulting arms of the Big Four. Together they speak 101 different languages, and, as a reflection of Comatch’s local approach to problem-solving, are based in over 100 countries.
Meanwhile, the matching of its business and subject-matter experts with clients is performed with as much scrutiny as the recruitment process. An algorithm does the quick work, while personal attention and focus finishes the process. According to Hardt, more than 90 percent of its clients express satisfaction with Comatch’s speed and service, as well as, importantly, the work delivered.
Like its worldwide database of consultants, Comatch has also been expanding its reach. From its original German roots, Comatch has in recent years evolved into a pan-European player, commanding a strong presence in Germany, France, Benelux, the Nordics and UK. In April this year, in what the founders described as a landmark market entry, Comatch launched in the US.
Provided with access to the world’s largest consulting industry, Comatch is now up against large freelance platforms such as Catalant, Upwork and Talmix in its ambition to capture a share of the huge local market. But, with big plans since the beginning – only the five years ago – Hardt is confident of Comatch’s ability to build on its latest milestone as the firm heads into the future.
“The attractiveness of our model to consultants and clients confirms the relevance of our value proposition; transforming the ability of clients to access external talents,” he said. “By reaching the 10,000 consultants mark we are another step closer to realising our vision – becoming the world’s leading access point for business expertise, staffing projects from all over the world very quickly and with the best available experts.”