We are a professional management consultancy, specialising in both Business and IT consultancy. On this page, we provide details of:

• our major lines of business and areas of expertise;

• our approach to work;

• our basis for charging;

• what to do if you have a situation or problem that needs addressing.

Whilst we can undertake a wide range of projects, a small range of project types accounts for the majority of our work. Accordingly, we have provided details of each of these types of project, elsewhere on this web-site, including typical terms of reference, and guidance on the effort and timescale involved, for your information. Please note, however, that this is not a formal proposal, or invitation to treat, as we would wish to discuss your requirements in detail before we could submit a proposal. The types of project, are:

– I.T. Strategy (this is being written but we need current examples to use, so we are offering a significant discount for ONE customer – see announcements)

– Corporate Strategy / Business Planning

– I.T. /Computer Systems Selection– ERP is, currently, the most popular;

– Systems Implementation ;

– defining Procedures – this area is being re-documented, but please contact us for information

We have also provided a number of brief case-studies, and a range of downloadable documents. For these, please see Downloadable Information.

In addition, we have listed a variety of other projects, which we have undertaken here

This covers such topics as:

• Corporate Strategy Studies – where the organisation is now, where it could be, and how to make the transition;
• Business Planning – as above, but more detailed including SWOT, PEST, and other analyses;

• Business Continuity Planning, which used to be called Contingency and Disaster Planning – a clearly thought out strategy on what to do if essential parts of the business, or key individuals, cease to be available, whether temporarily, or permanently;

• Mentoring;

• Succession Planning;

1. and has spread into areas such as helping business owners decide how to hand a family business on to the next generation.

• Corporate IT Strategic Studies – what services should be provided where, by whom, and using which suppliers;

• Selecting and implementing ERP, CRM, and MIS systems (we have also selected much else such as payroll, time and attendance, technical support etc.);

• Project Management;

• Systems Implementation;

• Business Continuity Planning;

• Departmental Performance and Resource review;

• Locum / Interim Management;

• General IT advice;

• Mentoring on any of the above, or other, more general, topics;

and has spread into other areas such as the IT element of Due Diligence Reviews, for potential investors, and expert witness advice.

Assistance with Procedures

• ISO 9000;

• ISO 14000;

• Investors in People;

and has spread into linked areas such as combining Business Planning with IIP. We are also starting to move into other areas of procedures.

We have undertaken work for clients in a wide variety of industries, throughout the UK, and as far afield as Siberia and Kazakhstan.

Approach to work

We believe that the work, to be undertaken, should be properly defined, and agreed, before any chargeable effort is spent. This ensures that both parties agree on the roles and responsibilities of all parties, including what work is to be undertaken, by whom, and what the expected outcomes are. Accordingly, we would expect to discuss the project, in some detail, with any prospective client, before preparing suggested terms of reference. For prospective clients located in the UK, with non-trivial requirements, we would expect to visit the client’s premises, for up to half a day, to discuss the requirements and assess the situation.

We normally charge for the time, spent working on a project, plus expenses incurred – commonly referred to as a ‘Time and Materials’ contract although, in certain circumstances, we are prepared to consider fixed price, or profit-sharing arrangements. VAT is charged at the current rate on both fees and expenses. Our fee rates, which are negotiable, vary depending on the type of work, and the expertise required.

If there is some form of assistance which you require, which need not be related to any of the advice offered on this site, please contact us.

Please provide full details of the problem, and the assistance which you require, as well as details of how to contact you. We will then contact you with details of what we can do to help you, and guidance on the level of any costs, which would be incurred, if you wish us to proceed. We would then want to follow this up with a conversation, with you, to clarify your requirements and our response. We make no charge until we have agreed a proposal with our clients.