Operations consulting
Operations consulting
Higher margins, lower costs and more cash in the company – from diagnosis to implementation
We help manufacturing, trading and service companies improve profitability: find out who and what they really make money on, streamline processes, cut costs and release cash tied up in inventory and receivables.
We start with a diagnosis based on the company’s data, which usually takes 3–6 weeks. The result is an improvement plan with a calculated financial impact, and we implement the changes together with your team.
When it makes sense
Signs that a company is losing money in its operations
A company can sell well and still earn less and less. If you recognise any of these signs, it’s worth looking at the numbers.
- Revenue is growing, but the margin is falling. More work and more sales, but profit isn’t moving.
- Costs are rising faster than revenue. It’s hard to say exactly where the money is leaking.
- Cash is short despite a profit. Inventory and receivables are growing and liquidity is tight.
- Complaints and delays are increasing. Processes can’t keep up with the company’s scale.
- More people, the same productivity. Headcount is growing, but output isn’t.
- Every decision goes through the owner. Roles, responsibilities and reporting are missing.
How we help
Four areas where we most often look for money
Every project starts with the question of where the company is losing the most – and that’s where we focus.
Profitability and margin
Who and what you make money on
- Customer, product and sales channel profitability
- Pricing and discount policy
- Decisions on the offer: what to develop, what to change, what to drop
Result: you know which areas build profit and which eat it up.
Processes and costs
Leaner processes, lower costs
- A map of processes, waste and bottlenecks
- Lean and standardised work in production, logistics, sales and administration
- Cost reduction without compromising quality
Result: the same or greater scale at lower cost.
Cash
Working capital
- Inventory: levels, turnover and planning
- Receivables: payment terms, collection, terms of payment
- Payables and terms with suppliers
Result: cash released from operations instead of an extra loan.
Organisation and management
Roles, KPIs and reporting
- Structure, roles and responsibilities
- Metrics (KPIs) and a rhythm of performance reviews
- Management reporting and automation of repetitive work
Result: decisions are made faster and the owner doesn’t have to be everywhere.
Diagnosis
From symptom to cause – where money most often leaks
The symptom shows in the results. The cause usually lies deeper – in prices, processes, inventory or the way work is organised.
| Symptom | Where we look for the cause | What we usually do |
|---|---|---|
| The margin is falling despite growing sales | Customer and product profitability, discounts, prices | Profitability analysis, changes to pricing policy and the structure of the offer |
| No cash despite a profit | Inventory, receivables, payment terms | A plan to release working capital |
| Costs are rising faster than revenue | Processes, purchasing, fixed costs | A waste map, lean, renegotiating purchasing terms |
| Productivity isn’t growing | Organisation and work standards | Standardisation, new roles and KPIs |
| Complaints and delays | Process flow, quality, planning | Root cause analysis and process improvement |
Working together step by step
How we work – 6 steps
- 01
A free meeting
Online or at your company. Without obligation; on request we sign an NDA first.
- 02
Data-driven diagnosis
Usually 3–6 weeks: processes, costs, profitability, inventory and receivables.
- 03
Improvement plan
A list of actions with a calculated financial impact, priorities and a schedule.
- 04
Your decision
You decide which actions we implement and to what extent.
- 05
Implementation with the team
We introduce new processes, roles and KPIs together with your people.
- 06
Measuring results
We check the results after implementation and report progress regularly.
Who will lead your project
Practitioners who have run operations – not theorists
Piotr Bendykowski
Senior Strategy Adviser · strategy and operations
More than 15 years at McKinsey, Accenture and KPMG and more than 15 years on management and supervisory boards. He has run companies with more than 500 employees. Stanford University MBA.
View profile →
Przemysław Majewski
Operational Efficiency Adviser
More than 20 years as CEO and COO in organisations of up to 400 people. PhD in management and quality sciences, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
View profile →
Damian Rusiecki
Founder and Managing Partner · finance and profitability
More than 25 years building and managing companies. He combines strategy with finance and technology.
View profile →Why Strategy Partners
Changes you can see in the results – not just in a report
Operations practitioners
We are led by people who have run companies and operations themselves – they know what change looks like on the shop floor and in the office.
Data-driven
A diagnosis based on your company’s numbers, not on general benchmarks.
Impact calculated up front
Every action in the plan has an estimated financial impact – you know where to start.
Implementation with the team
We introduce changes together with your people, so that they stay in the company after the project ends.
Lean Six Sigma
Proven methods for improving processes and quality – there’s a Black Belt on the team.
Clear rules
We agree scope, schedule and fees before the start, and report results on an ongoing basis.
Results in practice
Case studies from our projects
A tool wholesaler: a profitable growth strategy to 2025
A diagnosis of 74 employees, workshops with the management team and a strategy map to 2025: 26 tasks with SMART goals and an EBITDA margin target above 6%.
See the case study →
Natural ropes in e-commerce: a brand selling across Europe
Natural ropes in e-commerce: specialisation instead of a broad range, B2C and B2B customers, several thousand orders a year and sales growing by 30% year on year.
See the case study →Insights
Worth reading
FAQ
Questions about operations consulting
The questions we hear most often from owners and boards before the first conversation.
What is operations consulting?
How long does an efficiency improvement project take?
Where do you start?
Do you help implement the changes?
How can you release cash from a company without a loan?
What kind of companies do you work for?
How much does operations consulting cost?
How is operations consulting different from strategy consulting?
Free conversation
Let’s check where your company is losing money
Tell us in a few sentences what worries you: margins, costs, cash or the organisation of work. We will reply within 24 hours and propose a time for a conversation.
- The first conversation is free and without obligation.
- Full confidentiality – on request we sign an NDA before the conversation.
- You talk to a practitioner who has run operations – not a salesperson.
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