Reiterate client question

Question

I hear mixed opinions on this. Should you reiterate the question the client is asking to solve (eg why is there a decline in sales or how to increase profit) when you state the recommendation? (For eg. Lead with "the client asked us about X and based on the analysis I would recommend Y..). I've heard some say in real life you might be meeting a client after weeks of analysis so you need to restate what you were solving for and I've heard others say firms like Bain prefer an "answer first" approach so just lead with "based on analysis I'd recommend Y". So which one is it?

Answer 1

Hi there,

I always recommend that candidates repeat the question when you provide the recommendation.

The reason is simple: a good number of candidates answer the wrong question in the conclusion. They may answer part of the question, but not fully. It may sound a very superficial mistake, but during the interview you will be nervous and under pressure and may do that mistake.

Repeating the question ensures that you are going to answer exactly the question asked and eliminates that risk.

Best,

Francesco

Answer 2

Hi there,

When deciding betwee two options, the middle road tends to be best :)

I much prefer when someone says, for example "When looking at how to increase our profits, I recommend we do x" or "In determining whether we should make x investment, I recommend we proceed".

So, you're cutting out the verbose bs at the beginning, but you're also making sure they know you're clear on what's being asked :)

Answer 3

Agree with Ian. I would infer to the client question as part of your recommendation. Having said that, it's worth nothing that this is a very small proportion of what you are being assessed during the case.

For me as a McKinsey interviewer, I only asked for a recommendation at the end if the candidate had gone through the case much faster than expected. I wouldn't need an explicit recommendation at the end in order to assess how well a candidate is pulling together the various insights from the case and synthesising.

Answer 4

Absolutely Yes. Restate the "exam question" and then crack on with your solution/recommendation.