Accenture vs Deloitte Comparison

Management consulting is one of the largest industries, with a total value of almost $250 billion. Most people have either heard of MBB, an acronym that stands for McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), or came across “Big 4”, including Deloitte, KPMG, PwC, and EY.

All these major players in the consulting field have their strengths and competitive advantages. For example, regarding tech or IT consulting, the survey run by the Vault indicates that over the last three years, Accenture and Deloitte have been in the fiercest competition.

In this article, we will dive deep into the Deloitte vs Accenture consulting services. After learning about the Accenture vs Deloitte services, ratings, and corporate culture, you can make informed decisions on the perspectives of working with either Deloitte or Accenture.

Accenture vs Deloitte Overview

Both firms have a global outreach, with operations in multiple countries. Here is a brief overview of where Deloitte and Accenture stand in the global consulting market.

Accenture is a global professional services network and consulting company specializing in technology and strategy. Specializing in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations services, it is one of the most prominent and sizable businesses in the sector, along with the Big 4 and MBB consulting companies.

With headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, Accenture held the 258th spot on the Fortune Global 500 list in 2021. Accenture’s revenue for the fiscal year that ended on August 31, 2022, increased by 22% to $61.6 billion.

Accenture is the only publicly traded business among the top consulting firms, as the latter are typically privately held. In terms of the employee count, it is also one of the largest, with over 700,000 staff members as of 2022. To compare, Deloitte, despite its rapid growth in recent years, has only 415,000 employees globally.

Deloitte is a multinational professional services network. It ranks as one of the top workplaces in the world and is recognized by Brand Finance as the strongest and most valuable commercial services brand in the world for the fourth year in a row. The Big 4 consulting firm’s global revenue increased by 19.6% in local currency from $50.2 billion in 2021 to $59.3 billion in 2022.

Deloitte combines its advisory expertise, market intelligence, and working connections with some of the biggest IT companies. For example, it has partnerships (or “alliances,” as Deloitte calls them) with Salesforce, SAP, Oracle, and Google.

Deloitte vs Accenture Experience

Both Accenture and Deloitte have extensive experience and a strong reputation. Let’s have a look at the experience of these two firms to see how they established their name in consulting:

Accenture’s Experience

Accenture was founded in 1989 as Andersen Consulting and was originally part of the accounting firm Arthur Andersen. The company initially focused on providing management and technology consulting services to large organizations.

In 2001, Andersen Consulting changed its name to Accenture to reflect its new focus and identity. Thus, Accenture has a long history of providing management consulting, technology services, and outsourcing to clients in various industries, including financial services, healthcare, government, communication and media.

Today Accenture is one of the largest consulting and technology firms in the world. The company has also become known for its expertise in digital transformation and experience in successfully supporting organizations to transition to new business models and technology platforms.

Deloitte’s Experience

Similarly, Deloitte is one of the largest professional services networks, providing audit, tax, consulting, enterprise risk and financial advisory services. However, its history dates back to 1845. Since then, Deloitte has grown to become a global network of firms with a presence in over 150 countries.

With time, Deloitte has expanded its services and expertise to meet the changing needs of its clients. In the early years, the company focused on traditional accounting and auditing services, but over time it expanded into consulting and technology services.

Deloitte has a strong presence in industries such as banking and financial services, consumer products and services, energy and resources, technology, media and telecommunications. The company has established a strong reputation for delivering high-quality services and innovative solutions to its clients.

With its broad range of expertise and strong reputation, Deloitte is a trusted partner for many organizations worldwide. The company stays ahead of industry trends and invests in new technologies to better serve its clients, and is committed to helping organizations succeed in a rapidly changing business environment.

Deloitte vs Accenture services

Accenture and Deloitte both offer a wide range of professional services to their clients. Although both firms provide consulting services, Deloitte vs Accenture competition is not as fierce in other fields. Deloitte excels in finance and audit, while Accenture is powerful in tech solutions and digital strategies.

Audit and Assurance Services

Audit and assurance services are essential for both companies as they independently assess a company’s financial information. Experts from Deloitte and Accenture ensure that their clients’ financial records are accurate and reliable.

Business Consulting

Deloitte’s and Accenture’s consulting services enable organizations to deal with various business challenges and drive further growth. Consulting services can cover a broad range of areas, such as strategy, operations, technology, human capital, or sustainability.

Technology Consulting

Both Deloitte and Accenture also provide guidance or practical solutions on technology strategy, digital transformation, and cybersecurity. Investment in these aspects of business management helps organizations to implement technology wisely and boost growth.

Deloitte and Accenture provide technical consulting services to help clients address technical challenges and realize their technology-driven business goals. Businesses that request tech consulting might be anything from, e.g., niche healthcare-focused businesses to large corporations with large IT departments.

Finance Operations

These two firms also provide a wide range of financial advisory services, depending on specific financial operations that need assistance. For example, Deloitte can advise clients on treasury and capital market strategies to optimize funding and liquidity management.

Deloitte vs Accenture consulting

Comparing Accenture vs Deloitte consulting services might be a counterproductive thing to do if your goal is to choose an absolute winner. Both firms have a history of delivering successful projects. So, it depends on the client and their needs when they choose one company over another.

Experts from Deloitte can provide consulting services to help clients develop and implement growth strategies and improve their operations. If your company struggles with human resources management, then Deloitte specialists can come in and suggest optimization strategies for your workforce and improve the talent management system.

In addition to all the focus areas mentioned above, Accenture provides cutting-edge and innovative consulting on digital transformation. Many companies are looking for ways to improve their customer experiences, increase operational efficiency, and drive growth using modern technologies, such as AI or cloud computing.

Ultimately, the choice between Deloitte vs Accenture consulting services depends on the problems that your company needs to tackle. Both consulting firms have a strong reputation and expertise in different industries.

Deloitte vs Accenture: industries they serve

Now that we’ve talked about the services that these two consulting behemoths offer their clients, let’s look at a wide range of industries that Deloitte and Accenture work with.

Deloitte Industries

Deloitte serves clients across common industries such as financial service providers, energy and resource management, healthcare and life sciences, government and public services, as well as consumer products. Over the last decade, it expanded its expertise working with
technology, media and telecommunications, and even aerospace and defence.

Accenture Industries

Accenture serves clients across all the industries mentioned above. However, it may have a slight competitive advantage over Deloitte in the technology sector. Accenture has a strong presence in Communications, Media and Technology (CMT). It is also famous for its expertise in areas such as cloud computing, digital transformation, and cybersecurity.

The pandemic has accelerated the pace of digital transformation, and organizations are expected to continue to invest in digital transformation in the coming years. Therefore, Deloitte and Accenture will most likely focus more on AI solutions for business optimization.

Here is an overview of how Deloitte and Accenture compare in terms of the clients that they work with, their geographical location, and global ranking:

Deloitte vs Accenture clients

Both Deloitte and Accenture serve companies across various industries and regions. Their client bases include some of the world’s most renowned companies and brands.

Deloitte Clients

For example, Deloitte provides consultation services to Coca-Cola, Walmart, Johnson & Johnson, tech giants such as Microsoft, and major telecommunication companies such as AT&T, ExxonMobil and Verizon.

Deloitte also has a strong alliance with influential technology companies, including IBM, Amazon Web Services, and SAP. For example, a strategic alliance with IBM enables Deloitte to offer access to IBM’s AI and cloud technology. Similarly, Amazon Web Services (AWS), combined with Deloitte’s expertise in cloud migration and implementation, optimize data processing and storage algorithms for their clients.

Accenture Clients

Depending on the area of focus, Accenture worked with Amazon, HSBC and BP. Through such collaborations, Accenture delivered successful outcomes and impactful solutions to the needs of clients.

Accenture has a strategic alliance with Google Cloud to help organizations harness the power of cloud computing and data analytics using such Google Cloud technologies as BigQuery, TensorFlow, and Cloud AI. Collaboration with Salesforce enables Accenture to offer transformation advice on sales, marketing, and customer service operations.

Accenture vs Deloitte Locations

Accenture and Deloitte both have a global presence, serving clients in multiple regions around the world.

Accenture Locations

Accenture’s offices span over 120 countries. Its headquarters is in Dublin, Ireland and its operational headquarters is located in New York, US. Accenture has a strong presence in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions and major cities around the globe.

Over the last ten years, Accenture has also acquired more than 40 agencies to transform Accenture Song (previously known as Accenture Interactive) into the world’s largest digital product agency.

Deloitte Locations

Deloitte has a presence in over 150 countries, while its headquarters is located in New York, US. Deloitte has a strong presence in all regions, and it is growing its workforce and partnerships in emerging markets.

Accenture vs Deloitte Ratings

Accenture and Deloitte are both highly-rated consulting firms and are globally recognized leaders in various industries.

Accenture Rankings

In 2022, Accenture was ranked as the 6th best company to work for, which is an impressive shift from the 2021 rating, where it was listed as 44th. It is ranked #268 in the Fortune 500 (2022) and the second-best company in the world in the Diversity Inc Top 50 Companies list from 2021.

Deloitte Rankings

Deloitte has an equally impressive profile and recognition in the industry. Deloitte ranks 7th in Fortune World’s Best Workplaces rating of 2022. It is also ranked 18th in the Best Workplaces lists in the Netherlands, the UK, the US, and the United Arab Emirates. Deloitte also made it to the top 20 in the Best Workplaces for Women in five countries.

Accenture vs Deloitte Culture

Accenture and Deloitte are both large and established consulting firms, and they each have a unique working culture that reflects their values and goals. Both companies are famous for their results-driven culture, which makes it hard for offer-holders to make a choice between Deloitte vs Accenture:

Accenture’s Working Culture

Glassdoor states that the company rating for Accenture is 3.9 out of 5 stars. The majority of Accenture employees (71%) would recommend the company to a friend, and employees generally praise the company’s diverse and inclusive culture, as well as its focus on professional development and career advancement.

Accenture was recognized as the Great Place to Work, making it to the top 10 employers on the list of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For in the US in 2022. The company is devoted to establishing an inclusive work environment and prioritizes the well-being of its employees.

Deloitte’s Working Culture

According to Glassdoor, Deloitte’s rating is 4.0 out of 5 stars based on over 14,000 reviews. The majority of Deloitte employees (73%) would recommend the company to a friend. Not surprisingly, just like Accenture, Deloitte made it to the top 10 best places to work in 2022 on the World’s Best Workplaces list. Universum survey also named Deloitte the top most attractive employer for Business and IT students.

Deloitte provides its employees with opportunities for career growth and professional development with an extensive list of training programs and mentorship support. The company also strived to improve the work-life balance of its employees and create an inclusive and diverse work environment.

Michal Kapias

Chief Technology Officer

Software developer deep by heart, loves reusable components. Always put client’s needs in a first place, to find a perfect balance for golden triangle: time, money and functionality.