Find out what is really holding the business back, and what fixing it is worth.
Fee$5,500 ($8,500 extended) plus GST
$6,050 incl. GST
Timing3 weeks
ForGrowing businesses
“Where is the money actually going, what is holding the business back, and which three changes are worth most?”
What it is
An independent, numbers-first diagnosis of how the business is really performing, built from its own accounts. Six lenses (profitability, cash, pricing, capacity, concentration and risk, and the ATO's own industry benchmarks) summarised on a one-page scorecard, with the three improvements worth most in dollars and a 90-day plan the owner can act on without hiring anyone.
A one-page scorecard across six lenses including the ATO industry benchmarks, the three improvements worth most in dollars, a 90-day plan and a 90-minute debrief workshop. Afterwards, an optional Quarterly Pulse ($1,650 plus GST a quarter) re-scores the business and tracks the plan.
When clients call us
Cash is tight even though sales are growing. Margins are slipping and nobody can say why. The owner is working longer hours for the same result. One or two customers have become a large share of revenue. A bank review, a price rise, a partner exit, a new site or a major hire is coming up. The accountant has mentioned that a ratio sits outside the ATO industry benchmark.
What you receive
Diagnostic workbook, unlocked: three years of ratios, the ATO benchmark comparison, the scorecard and the quantified levers
Findings report, 10 to 15 pages, led by a one-page scorecard across six lenses
The three improvements worth most, each with an annual profit or cash figure and an effort rating
A 90-day action plan with an owner and a date against every action
One 90-minute debrief workshop with the owner(s), in Brisbane or online
What we’ll need from you
A one-page checklist comes with the engagement letter, with a private page to upload everything. The main items:
Financial statements (profit and loss and balance sheet) for the last three financial years, as lodged
Management accounts for the current financial year to date
Aged debtors and aged creditors reports at the latest year end
Sales by customer for the latest financial year (an export from the accounting system is fine)
Sales and, where tracked, direct costs by product or service line for the latest year
Payroll summary for the latest year showing each role, hours and total cost (names not needed)
Loan, lease and overdraft statements showing balances and repayments
Not included
Does not include audit or review of the financial statements, tax advice or tax return preparation, a business valuation, legal, HR or industrial relations advice, or implementation of the recommendations. Relies on the accounts and records supplied by the client. Opportunity figures are estimates of scale used to rank priorities; they are not forecasts.
What it can look like
Representative example
An electrical contracting business with $6.8m turnover and 32 staff · Business Operating Review
$275,000 a year of profit hiding in a busy business
The business was busier than ever, but the owners were working longer hours and the bank balance was not growing. They could not tell whether they needed more work, better prices or fewer costs.
$275,000Added to profit a year
$210,000One-off cash released
58 to 41 in 90 daysDebtor days
Debtor days
At the review58 days
After the 90-day plan41 days
Down 17 days
Where the gap was
Uncharged variations, slow collections and Monday overtime covering a rostering gap: $275,000 a year of profit and $210,000 of cash tied up.
Insight
Gross margin sat at 29%, below the ATO industry benchmark range for the business's size. Variations were being done and not charged, debtor days had drifted to 58, and overtime was being used to cover a rostering gap on Mondays.
Advice
Three changes: a variation and pricing review, a debtor collection routine with 30-day terms enforced, and a roster change to remove the Monday gap.
Opportunity
About $190,000 a year from pricing and variations, $85,000 a year from overtime, and $210,000 of cash released once debtor days fall to 35.
Results
Within the 90-day plan, debtor days fell to 41 and uncharged variations were being captured on every job. The Quarterly Pulse is tracking the rest.
Representative example: a composite scenario with narrative-driven figures, showing the kind of result this work is designed to produce. It is not a specific client engagement and the outcome is not a guarantee. A full case study walk-through is available on request.
Common questions
How much does a business operating review cost?
$5,500 plus GST ($6,050 including GST), or $8,500 plus GST ($9,350 including GST) for the extended version, over about three weeks from complete information.
Who is it for?
Owners of established businesses with roughly $1m to $20m turnover and 5 to 100 staff who are busy, growing or stuck and not sure which.
What do we get?
A one-page scorecard across six areas, compared with the ATO's industry benchmarks, the three improvements worth most in dollars, a 90-day plan and a 90-minute debrief workshop.
What happens afterwards?
An optional Quarterly Pulse ($1,650 plus GST a quarter, $1,815 including GST) re-scores the business and tracks progress on the plan.
