Professional services

The team is swamped, and at year-end almost nothing is left.

Being busy isn’t the same as being profitable. Here’s what it looks like when no one tracks which project pays and which drains, and how to fix it.

Let’s talk An administrative office with folders and reports stacked on every desk; the team works with their backs to the camera

“We’re swamped and the team never stops. At year-end almost nothing is left. We bill by project, but I never know whether a project made me money or cost me. I say yes to almost everything so I don’t lose the client.”

Before touching prices, three questions.

Do you know how many real hours each project takes, compared with what you charged for it?
How many of your clients use more of your team’s time than they actually pay for?
If your biggest client left tomorrow, how much profit would leave with them? Not revenue: profit.

Three clients brought in 58% of revenue and only 19% of profit. The most expensive people were on the accounts that paid the least. And one in three projects was delivered below cost, without anyone noticing.

58%of revenue came from three clients

19%the profit those same clients left

1 in 3projects delivered below cost

Four decisions to make the work pay.

Each one is measured by a single number.

Measure real hours per project

We put the true hours next to what was billed. The real profitability of each project showed up, ranging from −7% to +24% depending on the account.

−7% to +24%real margin per project

Price for value, not by the hour

We redesigned how quotes were built where the price didn’t reflect the work. Margin per project rose without adding hours for the team.

+14 pointsof margin per project

Rebalance the client portfolio

We put the best people on the accounts that pay, and renegotiated or let go of the ones that drained time without paying for it. Three accounts changed terms.

3 accountsrenegotiated or let go

Five numbers every Monday

Instead of finding out at year-end, the owner gets the five figures that matter every Monday, and a call when something needs fixing in time.

5 numbersevery Monday

You stay in charge.

First we learn where your team’s time goes, which clients pay what they cost, and which projects pay. Then we turn that into a few decisions that change the year’s result.

You decide. We give you the numbers to do it, in complete confidence and for a fraction of what a salaried finance director costs.

Always busy, and still no profit?

The first conversation is to understand, not to sell.

Let’s talk