Trouble Shoot

A fresh pair of eyes

Most businesses can benefit from a fresh pair of eyes from time to time. Some need major overhauls others just need some subtle re-direction. In our industry there is often no shortage of ‘advice’ available, but more than often I have found it to be not specific enough.  Your accountant might tell you your margins a too low, but he won’t be able to get to the crux of why and how to fix the problem.

Businesses fail when they don’t make profit.  Nothing else matters. So if customer numbers slow then costs have to be cut until the new lower level of sales begins to deliver a profit again. Every week you put off making those changes is costing someone money!

In extreme cases we start with gross margins and then work our way through payroll, and overheads, and finally the balance sheet.  If the business has cash flow problems we’ll make proposals to fix those first, or at least buy the business sometime.
Once you know that’s done, you can begin to look again at your product and how well it’s delivered, promoted and frankly suitable for the market place.
  
It is also worth baring in mind that in small businesses often the first place to start is with the owner, followed closely by his or her staff. When its going wrong or not quite to plan it is the most typically the Owners attitude or sense of well being that needs coaching back to a positive frame of mind. Often people just need to be helped to see the wood from the trees!

Finally, we have done some terrific sites for ourselves that just never made money. We loved them, the customers loved them, but no matter what we tried we couldn’t make them pay. If we had our time again we would have got concise clear advice quicker!

Please call for an outline discussion, here are some package examples:

Acid Test Business Analysis:          £587.50

An depth look at you, your business and its position in the market place, followed by a the development of a plan. This service assumes financial data is available in some form and can be analysed prior to visit. One full day on site plus pre and post communications.

Project work                                       from £294.00 per day

An agreed programme of work following a meeting and analysis of the issue

A “Ramsey”.                                      £1762.50 (assumes on site expenses paid)

One week spent on site working with the business helping you to get to the bottom of an issue or problem.  Identifying the problem, developing a plan, and getting it implemented. One week is split into 2 - 3 day sessions as required.

All prices include VAT. Payment by cheque or credit card.