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Introduction

The Business Planning Group's Approach to Management Consulting

Consultants of The Business Planning Group

Background to Business Planning

So, What is a Business Plan

The "One Day" Business Plan

Questions and Concerns

The Business Planning Group's Consulting Services

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Most businesses are certain they should improve their operations, but many are unsure of what it is they exactly need in a 'business plan'. In particular they are unsure of what is the priority of issues to be addressed - so that the consultant can be appropriately briefed. Consider such issues as:

• Is the business plan to address the marketing and sales administration problems involved in generating and servicing new business?

• Is it that your business is unclear of how much it should invest in product development?

• Are you facing ongoing financial/cash flow problems that never seem to be resolved?

• Do you need to address a maze of problems involved in the sales orders/stock levels/production planning process?

• Has the whole concept of 'environmental management' become beyond apparent resolution?

• Has the management function evolved into responding to a succession of 'crises' that result in there apparently never being time to understand where your business is actually moving?

• Is there a desire to explore some export markets?

The answer to most of these questions should be 'yes' since even the largest and best managed businesses would still consider that these are some of the major issues that continue to be faced, on virtually a daily basis.

The first step, therefore, before engaging in the detail of developing a business plan, should be to review the operations of the business, the market in which it operates, and the competitive industry environment which it has to meet.

We call these assessments the 'Internal' and 'External' Audits. When conducted as an independent initial exercise they form the basis of a 'Business Diagnostic' - a low cost, first stage, review which allows for an initial prioritisation of those fundamental planning issues which need to be subsequently addressed.

Having completed a Business Diagnostic, or after resolving the priority focus of the business through discussions with the consultant, you [and the consultant] should be able to define what concept of business improvement services are really needed - as an initial exercise. This forms the essential basis for the 'consultant's brief'.

It is fundamental to a sound working relationship that both 'sides' have a clear understanding of what the business requires and what the consultants will deliver, both during the assignment, as a written deliverable, and [where required] in the subsequent support for the implementation of the 'business plan'.