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Services / Operations consulting

Operations that
protect your
margin.

Rising costs, missed handovers, unbilled work and money tied up in stock. We diagnose what is going wrong, explain why and give your team a practical plan to address it.

Specialists in food & hospitality, finance, consulting and beauty. We also advise businesses in other industries.

Find your industry Explore an example

01 / Where it hurts

Different businesses.
Real money at stake.

Explore the problems we investigate in each of our specialist industries. Choose a sector to see its challenges and an interactive diagnostic example.

The tables are full. Where does the margin go?

We look across purchasing, kitchen routines and staffing to find where a busy operation is losing money.

01Food costs rise. The menu stays the same.Margin lost on every dish, repeated across every service.

What goes wrong

Supplier price increases reach purchasing but never reach the chef’s costing sheet. Management sees healthy sales while the amount left on each dish keeps shrinking.

What we investigate

We trace a supplier invoice through recipe costing, portion size and menu pricing. We identify where updates stop, which dishes need attention and who should make the decision.

What the recommendations could address

  1. 01PurchasingCheck actual prices against the costing sheet.
  2. 02Chef + managerAgree which recipes or prices need review.
  3. 03ManagementSet a review owner, trigger and timetable.
02What leaves the kitchen doesn’t match what was sold.Over-ordering, spoilage and inconsistent portions consume stock without earning revenue.

What goes wrong

Orders follow habit, portions vary between shifts and waste is recorded inconsistently. The stock count is wrong, but nobody can explain where the difference came from.

What we investigate

We compare purchases, stock counts, recipe quantities and sales. We separate genuine waste from portion differences and recording gaps before recommending changes.

What the recommendations could address

  1. 01Kitchen + storesCompare stock movement with portions sold.
  2. 02ChefReview prep quantities and portion standards.
  3. 03ManagementTrack waste and unexplained stock differences.
03The rota follows last month. Demand has moved on.Quiet services carry too much labour; busy ones rely on overtime and rushed cover.

What goes wrong

Staffing is repeated week after week without checking bookings, service demand or preparation needs. Managers only see the overtime bill after the shifts have happened.

What we investigate

We examine sales and bookings by service alongside paid hours, roles and overtime. We recommend staffing decisions that reflect demand and the work needed to deliver it.

What the recommendations could address

  1. 01OperationsMap demand, preparation and service workload.
  2. 02ManagerAgree staffing levels and overtime approval.
  3. 03ManagementReview labour cost against service demand.

Diagnostic example / Food & hospitality

One price changes.
Where does the review stop?

Change a supplier price to see the effect on three dishes, then explore the questions we would ask about the costing process.

Food-cost diagnosticDiagnostic example · Sample data

Supplier update / Ready-to-use salmon

/ kg

Original supplier price: €20 / kg

Extra weekly ingredient cost

€145.60At the sample sales volumes below.
3dishes with a cost change
2below the sample margin target

Where the change lands

Sample target: 55% food margin
Dish cost comparison using sample portions, prices and weekly sales.
Dish / weekly salesMenu priceFood costFood marginStatus
Salmon bowl90 dishes / week€18.00€8.52was €7.8052.7%was 56.7%Review
Crispy salmon bites70 dishes / week€12.00€5.20was €4.8056.7%was 60.0%Within target
Grilled salmon60 dishes / week€26.00€12.08was €11.2053.5%was 56.9%Review

A price increase is the starting point. The next question is where the review process broke down.

What’s behind the numbers?

Food margin is (menu price − ingredient cost) ÷ menu price. All prices exclude VAT. This is the amount left after ingredients, before labour, rent and other costs; it is not net profit.

The sample recipes use 180 g, 100 g and 220 g of ready-to-use salmon. Other ingredient costs are €4.20, €2.80 and €6.80 per dish. Weekly sales stay at 90, 70 and 60 dishes. Only the salmon price changes.

The 55% target is an example setting for this demo. In a real business, targets and review responsibilities are agreed with the team.

Find the friction behind the reporting deadline.

For investment firms, we examine how records, responsibilities and approvals move between operations, finance and senior decision-makers.

01Reporting starts with another round of chasing.Senior time goes into corrections and missing information instead of decisions.

What goes wrong

Portfolio updates, cash movements and investor figures arrive through separate spreadsheets and emails. Missing records appear late, leaving senior staff to reconstruct the report.

What we investigate

We follow a reporting cycle from the first request to sign-off. We identify repeated checks, late inputs and unclear ownership, then recommend a collection and review process.

What the recommendations could address

  1. 01OperationsDefine the required inputs and record owners.
  2. 02Finance teamAgree checks and deadlines before reporting.
  3. 03ApproverSet a clear sign-off and exception process.
02Onboarding keeps returning to the same missing documents.Repeated follow-ups delay account setup and draw experienced staff into admin.

What goes wrong

A client or investor resubmits information because the team cannot see what has arrived, what is still missing or who needs to review it. Handover emails become the tracking system.

What we investigate

We map the document requests, status checks and internal handovers. We look for duplicate requests and stalled steps, with your compliance team retaining responsibility for its requirements and decisions.

What the recommendations could address

  1. 01OperationsMap requests, dependencies and current status.
  2. 02Record ownersAgree responsibility for outstanding items.
  3. 03Review teamDefine handover and escalation rules.
03The bank says one thing. Internal records say another.Unmatched receipts and duplicated entries make cash reporting unreliable.

What goes wrong

Payments are recorded in more than one place. References are missing and corrections sit in email threads, so teams cannot quickly explain the difference between cash received and the internal ledger.

What we investigate

We inspect how payments are recorded, matched and corrected. We identify the sources of discrepancies and recommend reconciliation responsibilities, exception handling and a review schedule.

What the recommendations could address

  1. 01Finance teamTrace a payment from receipt to record.
  2. 02Record ownersAgree how exceptions are investigated.
  3. 03ApproverSet correction and review responsibilities.

Diagnostic example / Finance

The deadline is close.
What is holding up the report?

Change the readiness of the reporting inputs to see which handovers need attention.

Reporting readinessDiagnostic example · Sample data

The report is due. Are the inputs ready?

Tick an item to simulate it being available and checked. See which handovers still need attention before the report can reach its approver.

Inputs available and checked
Inputs ready1 / 3
Outstanding handovers2
Reporting stageWaiting for inputs

What this tells us

The bottleneck is before the report.

Finance and investor operations still have checks to complete. Writing the report faster will not resolve those missing inputs.

What we would investigate

When inputs were requested, whether owners and deadlines were clear, which checks are repeated and how outstanding items are escalated. The recommendation would address the handovers causing the delay.

What does this example cover?

Three simplified reporting inputs, each with an owner. Ticking them changes this example only. Complete inputs mean the report can move to its approver; they do not mean it has been approved or released.

A real review would examine the firm’s records, reporting requirements and existing controls.

Busy teams can still be losing money.

We examine the commercial handover, project delivery and billing to see where paid work turns into unrecovered time.

01The scope grows. The fee doesn’t.Additional work uses the project margin before anyone prices it.

What goes wrong

Extra requests go directly to delivery. The team keeps saying yes, while the original fee and deadline stay fixed. By the next review, the additional time has already been spent.

What we investigate

We compare the agreed scope with actual requests, time and cost. We identify when changes should have been raised and recommend a practical approval point before more work is committed.

What the recommendations could address

  1. 01Project leadCompare the agreed work with new requests.
  2. 02Account leadPrice changes before delivery commits.
  3. 03Client + leadRecord the scope, fee and timing decision.
02The same people are promised to several projects.Overtime, last-minute freelancers and delayed work make delivery more expensive.

What goes wrong

Sales commits dates without a shared view of delivery capacity. Team leads solve clashes week by week, and the cost of covering those promises is missing from the original project budget.

What we investigate

We review pipeline commitments, workloads and available capacity together. We recommend a resource planning rhythm and a clear decision point before dates are promised.

What the recommendations could address

  1. 01Sales + deliveryCompare committed work with available capacity.
  2. 02Team leadsAgree priorities and realistic start dates.
  3. 03ManagementReview overload and unplanned delivery costs.
03The work is done. The invoice is still waiting.Revenue sits unbilled while the business continues paying the delivery team.

What goes wrong

Milestones are complete, but accounts has no clear confirmation. Purchase orders, approvals or billing details are chased after delivery instead of before the work starts.

What we investigate

We follow completed work through acceptance and invoicing. We identify missing information, unclear triggers and avoidable delays, then recommend who confirms each billing milestone.

What the recommendations could address

  1. 01Account leadCheck billing requirements at the start.
  2. 02Project leadDefine how completion is confirmed.
  3. 03AccountsAgree invoice triggers and overdue follow-up.

Diagnostic example / Consulting

The scope has changed.
Has the commercial decision?

Add delivery hours and compare two scenarios: work absorbed into the original fee, or an agreed change.

Scope & project marginDiagnostic example · Sample data

The client asks for more. What happens to the fee?

The original project fee is €18,000, with €10,800 in planned delivery costs. Add extra work and compare an unpriced request with an agreed change fee.

0 hours30 hours100 hours
Extra delivery cost€1,800
Agreed additional fee€0
Projected delivery margin30.0%Original plan: 40.0%

What this tells us

More work, the same fee.

The extra 30 hours cost €1,800 to deliver. With no change fee agreed, the projected delivery margin falls from 40.0% to 30.0%.

What we would investigate

How requests reach the team, when their cost becomes visible, who can approve extra work and whether the client decision is recorded before delivery commits. The advice would define that decision point.

What’s behind the numbers?

Sample fee: €18,000. Original delivery costs: €10,800. Extra delivery cost: €60 per hour. An agreed change adds €120 per extra hour to revenue. All amounts exclude VAT.

Delivery margin is (agreed revenue − delivery costs) ÷ agreed revenue. It excludes wider business overhead and is not net profit. The scenario assumes all estimated work is delivered; agreeing a fee does not mean an invoice has been paid.

Sales, stock and cash need to agree.

We look at demand, purchasing, stock movement and fulfilment to understand why some products run out while others tie up cash.

01The bestseller sells out before the next delivery.Lost sales and rush orders follow a purchasing decision made too late.

What goes wrong

Reorders follow an old forecast or a fixed stock number. Sales accelerates, supplier lead times change and nobody spots that the next delivery will arrive after stock runs out.

What we investigate

We compare sales demand, available stock, incoming orders and supplier lead times. We recommend reorder review points and clear ownership of exceptions.

What the recommendations could address

  1. 01Sales + warehouseConfirm demand, usable stock and incoming orders.
  2. 02PurchasingCheck actual supplier lead times.
  3. 03ManagementAgree reorder triggers and shortage decisions.
02Slow lines age on the shelf while cash stays tied up.Excess inventory turns into markdowns, write-offs and less money for products that sell.

What goes wrong

Purchasing repeats old quantities while sales promotes newer launches. Slow-moving batches and expiry dates are discovered too late to make a considered decision.

What we investigate

We examine stock age, batch dates, sales pace and buying quantities. We help prioritize the products that need attention and recommend how future orders should reflect demand.

What the recommendations could address

  1. 01Stock controlIdentify ageing and short-dated batches.
  2. 02Sales + purchasingReview demand and remaining commitments.
  3. 03ManagementAgree a stock action plan and follow-up.
03Returns and order errors eat into the sale.Refunds, replacement orders and repeated handling reduce the value of every order.

What goes wrong

The wrong items leave the warehouse, return reasons are recorded inconsistently and returned stock is not promptly reconciled. Sales figures hide the cost of fixing the same mistakes.

What we investigate

We trace orders, returns and stock adjustments to find repeated failure points. We recommend checks at the handovers that cause errors and a clear way to record the full cost.

What the recommendations could address

  1. 01FulfilmentTrace picking, packing and dispatch errors.
  2. 02Customer serviceRecord return reasons and resolutions.
  3. 03Stock + financeAgree stock adjustments and cost review.

Diagnostic example / Beauty & skincare

The product is selling.
Will the stock keep up?

Change demand and supplier timing to see how a purchasing delay becomes a stock shortage.

Stock & supplier timingDiagnostic example · Sample data

Will the bestseller last until delivery?

There are 120 saleable units in stock, with no earlier incoming orders. Change daily demand and the supplier lead time to see where a stock gap appears.

1 unit5 units20 units
7 days28 days60 days
Current stock covers24 days
Demand before delivery140 units
Projected stock shortfall20 units

What this tells us

Stock runs out before delivery.

At 5 units a day, stock lasts 24 days. Delivery takes 28 days, leaving a four-day gap and 20 units of demand uncovered.

What we would investigate

Whether reorders use current demand and actual lead times, whether incoming orders are visible and who reviews changes in sales. The recommendation would set purchasing review points and a plan for shortages.

What’s behind the numbers?

Stock coverage = 120 units ÷ daily demand. Demand before delivery = daily demand × lead time. Shortfall is demand before delivery minus current stock, with a minimum of zero.

Demand is constant in this example. A seven-day buffer is used to flag a narrow delivery window. It is an illustration, not a recommended inventory policy. A real diagnosis also checks demand variation, order quantities, expiry dates and existing purchase orders.

02 / What you get

Understand the problem.
Know what to change.

This is consulting and diagnosis: an independent look at how the business operates, followed by clear priorities and practical recommendations.

  1. 01

    Understand the operation.

    Talk to the people doing the work. Follow the handovers, inspect the available records and compare the written process with what actually happens.

  2. 02

    Find the cause and cost.

    Separate symptoms from causes. Assess where delays, errors, unnecessary spending or unrecovered time occur, using the evidence the business has.

  3. 03

    Set the priorities.

    Decide what deserves attention first. Weigh the likely benefit, effort, dependencies and disruption so the team has a realistic order of action.

  4. 04

    Write the action plan.

    Recommend changes to responsibilities, routines, handovers and controls. Name the decisions, owners and measures needed to put the advice into practice.

  5. 05

    Support the decisions.

    Work through the recommendations with your team, challenge the assumptions and agree how progress will be reviewed.

When the recommendation needs development.

Sometimes the answer is a clearer process or better use of a tool you already have. When it calls for an integration, dashboard or custom platform, we can carry the findings into a separately scoped development project.

Explore Development

03 / What we track

Measure the part
that was costing you.

Agree what to measure as part of the diagnosis. Those measures give the team a way to judge the changes it puts into practice.

Food & hospitality
Ingredient cost changes, food margin and time to review exceptions.
Finance
Missing records, reporting delays and time spent correcting figures.
Consulting
Budget overruns, unapproved scope and time from milestone to invoice.
Beauty & skincare
Stockouts, excess stock and products approaching expiry.

Start with the problem

Where is your business
losing time or money?

Tell us what keeps going wrong, who it affects and how you handle it today. Our four specialisms are a starting point; we also work with businesses in other industries.

Talk through the problem