2008/10 Social Housing Associations

Case Study 1

• Background: A 'Not for Profit' Social Housing Association financially challenged by escalating tenant demands and expectations for repairs and maintenance to their properties.
• Scope: A review of the 'mission critical' repairs and maintenance service as a major driver of organisational costs and tenant perceptions of service quality.
• Role: Introducing a Systems and Process analysis perspective through executive and middle management  coaching (learn by doing) rather than consultancy ( here's what you have to do)  support.
• Outcome: Internal excitement and engagement; potential savings of 20% from getting it 'right first time' from a budget of circa £10m.

Case Study 2

• Background: In the current economic environment Social Housing Associations are characterised by rising costs relative to income, declining asset values of their housing stock (potential breach of banking covenants) and rampant costs - such as repairs and maintenance. One might also say that by nature they are not commercially alert.
• Scope: Tenants, through a range of feedback mechanisms,  highlighted a mismatch between what the Association did and its relevance to what their expectations were.
• Role: Analysing and evaluating the people and process issues that inhibited optimal service delivery from a supplier and 'buyer' perspective.
• Outcome: A strategic blueprint for Customer Service drawing on external academic and practitoner research, customer and internal data and evidenced based case study outcomes.  

2007/2009 Financial Services Industry

• Background: A niche overseas bank operating in retail, commercial and investment banking looking to understand its ability to improve focus and the rate of change to grow rapidly.
• Scope: Understanding the capabilities and appetite for change as evidenced by the senior managment team
• Role: One to one conversations with the senior team and managers of the key delivery units within the organisation together with a review of key internal documents.
• Outcome: Development of a 'roadmap' to chart the change process incorporating recommendations from a global consultancy firm.

2004/5 Logistics Industry

• Background: Major global logistics company dominated by corporate relationships wishing to match competition by entering the retail market to benefit from higher margin small business and personal business.
• Scope: Design and development of a franchised chain of retail outlets initially through a pilot of 30 including business plan, store design, bespoke product range, point of sale technology, franchisee recruitment and training programme.
• Role: Realisation of programme architecture and project management of in-house project team of four and 25 subject matter experts.
• Outcome: Development of Pilot on track with retail chain predicated to reach 1440 outlets by end Year 5, gross margin significantly in excess of current business.

• Background: Continued pressure on defence budgets led to a change in the financing model and increased competition for suppliers of military hardware. Client recognised the need to develop a more customer focused approach in a company rooted in its heritage of engineering excellence.
• Scope: Development & implementation of an innovative business management model and service culture designed to create an effective bridgehead between competing buyer stakeholder demands and the internal/external supply chain to improve commercial performance.
• Role: Led an external consultancy team of four and engaged executive management team of seven.
• Outcome: The proposals surfaced a profound resistance to change within the sponsor division. The existing business model was continuing to deliver the required short term results.

• Background: IT Department of a major clearing bank with 600 staff on two sites. Perception that senior management were unapproachable and communications were inadequate. The department was about to undertake a major change management programme to align it more closely to the strategic and business needs of the bank.
• Scope: Integrated 12 month Communication Plan meeting to:
  • Position department as the first choice and trusted supplier within the bank;
  • Position department as an employer of choice;
  • Manage uncertainty at a time of change;
  • Enfranchise staff in the communications process.
• Role: Programme design and implementation. During development supported by an internal team of three, then interim management of the Strategy implementation until the recruitment of a Communications Manager from within the department.
• Outcome: Subsequent internal surveys showed significantly enhanced levels of value, perceptions of responsiveness and satisfaction. Plans to outsource were shelved.

• Background: A member based mutual organisation which needed to recruit more ‘New to Group’ younger members as it had a customer base with an average age of 65 .
• Scope: The core issues were the development of product and service packages that appealed to the target market who were hugely cynical of financial services companies. In addition there was a need to stress test the organisation’s ability to bring attractively priced products quickly to market given that existing risk management systems discriminated heavily against this group.
• Role: One of an external consultancy team of four liasing with internal subject matter experts and reporting directly to the Business Development Director.
• Outcome: Strategy Document and Business Plan produced. In the final analysis the ROI and payback period was unacceptable to the organisation.

People Consultancy, Richmond 

• Background: Well established consultancy with two principals and 6-8 associates wishing to expand their business with a view to exit in 3-5 years.
• Scope: Review of existing business to identify strengths and weaknesses and identification of critical success factors to support sale ambitions.
• Role: Worked closely with principals to define and implement components of new business model including Business Plan, re-branding, recruitment of practice heads, business development processes and management infrastructure.
• Outcome: Positively moving in targeted direction and developing understanding of the dynamics of the new way of doing business.

Van based Franchise, Oxford 

• Background: Van based delivery and collection franchise which had been successfully piloted in the Oxford area and had received sufficient investment from two entrepreneurs to develop eventually to national coverage.
• Scope: Full range of marketing support including branding, local ‘guerrilla’ advertising to support on-going pilot operation. design and shared delivery of franchisee recruitment materials
• Role: Provide marketing expertise to start-up management team and involved in design and delivery of seminars to potential franchisees.
• Outcome: Viable model although recruitment was more of a challenge than expected and the assets are currently being folded into a newly consolidated business. 

SME Consultancy Services, Thames Valley 

• Background: Business investor/entrepreneur interested in start up franchise model to deliver high quality 'grey hair’ experience consultancy services into the SME market. Thames Valley was chosen as a test bed given its geography and concentration of businesses.
• Scope: Business Model, Pro Forma Business Plan, Marketing Collaterals and recruitment of associates.
• Role: Solely developed scope deliverables including web site content, active local networking of professionals e.g. accountants and solicitors and associate recruitment.
• Outcome: Whilst the business opportunity was fundamentally viable when subsequently rated against a portfolio of potential activity it proved not to be able to deliver the required ROI within the benchmark timeframes.

Consultancy & Hotel Group, Bournemouth 

• Background: A very successful business consultancy which several years ago together with family investors bought an hotel in Bournemouth to focus particularly on executive business travellers and also to be used as a conference and training centre for programme delivery.
• Scope: In addition to working as an associate on several major projects, provided on-going guidance and support on strategic direction, product design and business development.
• Role: Non-executive director providing business experience and support to the management team.
• Outcome: On-going relationship; currently experiencing difficult trading conditions; new business ventures being established in South Africa and Europe.