Business process optimization using current technological trends is a standard practice in the private sector. On the other hand, the constant increase in the number of inhabitants of urban areas has forced the public sector to look for innovative solutions to problems whose ignoring negatively affects the city budget and the quality of life of citizens. The significant increase in the value of the smart city market indicates the recognized potential of the public sector for the implementation of smart solutions in areas such as infrastructure, data management, and accessibility of urban services. The public sector seeks to address the lack of necessary knowledge and experience by engaging consulting firms to assist in the organization, management, and implementation of smart city solution development activities. The theoretical part of the paper analyzes the market of consulting companies and the services they offer to clients. Furthermore, the ways in which successful global and Croatian smart cities have responded to identified problems by adequately using available technology are outlined. Finally, the various participants in the smart city development process are listed and the role of consultants is analyzed in more detail. In the empirical part of the paper, an analysis of case studies of cities that have successfully implemented smart city solution development projects is conducted. The most common problems of cities during the project implementation, roles, and duties of consulting companies during the project duration and the results of the engagement of consulting companies at the end of the project are analyzed.