Business Links Australia Pty. Ltd. is a CPA Practice
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Business Performance Analysis

The first step in business development is to identify the performance gaps within the business.

Our advisors use a comprehensive business diagnostic process and tool to analyse each area of the business, in order to discover the key issues which are holding the business back.

The business diagnostic covers all functional areas including marketing, sales, operations, finance, administration and team performance.

Strategic Business Planning

We utilise a proven process to facilitate the completion of a Strategic Business Plan. This process also utilises a number of specifically designed documents and tools to assist the development of the Strategic Business Plan.

Consideration during the process is given to:

  • Identifying what the business must deliver for the client, that is, the client’s personal requirements.
  • Identifying the vision and ‘ultimate situation’ for the business.
  • Analysing the internal business environment, otherwise known as the strengths and weakness.
  • Analysing the external business environment, otherwise known as the opportunities and threats.
  • Identifying the different strategic options, alternative directions and growth methods available to the business.
  • Identifying and articulating your Unique Business Advantage, also known as a Unique Selling Proposition or Unique Value Proposition.
  • Identifying the best business model and organisational structure to meet the ‘ultimate situation’.
  • Developing the critical success factors - those things that give daily focus to the business.
  • Articulating the core values and culture that will sustain the business and allow it to realise the ‘ultimate situation’.
  • Developing key objectives and strategies for each business area; people, marketing, sales and customer service, production, finance and administration.

Business Links Advisory and Consulting Services also utilise a specific Strategic Business Plan template. This ensures the above considerations are well documented, and that the key strategies are implemented based on their priority.

Business Development

Our focus here is to work with clients to break their business down into its component parts. We then assist our clients to identify the weaknesses and ideal operating situation for each business area. Initiatives to move each area of the business forward can then be identified and implemented.

Consideration in each area of the business can be given to (but is not limited to):

Leading employees – building and retaining the perfect team

  • Identifying the ideal employee
  • Recruiting and inducting the ideal employee
  • Retaining, engaging and motivating employees
  • Structuring roles and responsibilities for greater productivity
  • Improving and managing employee performance and productivity
  • Identifying training needs
  • Improving employee time management
  • Improving communication and collaboration in the workplace
  • Developing leadership competencies
  • Building the ideal culture

Marketing – attracting potential clients through a range of integrated activities

  • Identifying the ideal client
  • Understanding their real emotional need
  • Creating the value proposition
  • Identifying the required branding elements and marketing material
  • Identifying the marketing activities required
  • Measuring the success of the activities

Sales & Customer Service – converting potential clients and retaining them for life

  • Understanding and identifying different personality types
  • Mastering the critical selling steps
  • Increasing the conversion rate from enquiry to sale
  • Increasing the value per client
  • Building long term relationships so clients keep coming back
  • Managing the volume and price relationship
  • Providing extraordinary levels of customer service
  • Analysing customer risk

Production – getting quality product or service out the door

  • Maximising operational productivity
  • Creating efficient workflow and processes
  • Improving quality control
  • Improving workplace health & safety
  • Identifying new product & service opportunities
  • Managing supplier risk
  • Identifying supply chain & distribution improvement opportunities

Finance – improving and controlling the financial health of the business

  • Improving cash flow
  • Maximising profitability
  • Managing debtors
  • Budgeting and forecasting
  • Measuring financial performance
  • Managing pricing and volume strategies
  • Generating wealth for the shareholders
  • Managing financial risk and compliance

Administration – creating a cohesive and efficient business

  • Identifying and documenting procedures and policies
  • Creating standard documents
  • Creating an efficient electronic administration system
  • Establishing key performance indicators for each business area
  • Improving the accuracy and efficiency of information flow

Business Links Advisory and Consulting Services use a process that evaluates the current position of each of the above areas within your business. We can then work with you and your team to identify your ideal operating environment, and implement initiatives to develop the business and dramatically improve its performance.

Regular Management Meetings

Regardless of size, all businesses should have a system whereby the business can be directed, monitored and controlled. In publicly listed firms this is the purpose of the board, whereby the Directors have a range of compliance and performance responsibilities.

Private firms can also utilise the board concept, or a management meeting to direct and control the business.

Business Links Advisory and Consulting Services provide ongoing support and assistance to our clients by chairing and facilitating a regular management meeting. This ensures a continuous improvement culture is developed and maintained in order to direct and control the business.

By allocating regular, dedicated time to direct and control the business our clients are proactive in driving its performance. This will provide knowledge and reassurance about the business future, and help maximise business value and shareholder return. It is also an excellent vehicle for improving communication and alignment between shareholders or family members.

The purpose of the management meeting is to:

  • Create enduring business value
  • Maximise shareholder return
  • Formulate and direct business strategy
  • Monitor and continuously improve business performance
  • Comply with legal and accounting requirements
  • Recognise and manage business risk
  • Provide accountability to the management team

Directing a business involves extracting the owner from the day to day operations and taking dedicated time to review the business position. This is a key duty and responsibility for a business owner and company Director.

Business Links Advisory and Consulting Services have considerable experience in acting in the role of chairperson and facilitator for management meetings. We offer external, independent viewpoints and experience. All advisors have tertiary business qualifications, greater than 20 years business experience, are members of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), and are graduates of the AICD Company Directors Course.

We use a proven management meeting process ideally suited to small and medium size businesses, where the company directors are usually also the business owners and/or managers. This means that all management issues and key performance indicators are discussed during the meeting, not just those issues relating to a Director’s role.

The management meeting delivers documented actions after discussion on some or all of the following areas:

Team

  • Reviewing team and individual performance
  • Identifying training or mentoring requirements
  • Measuring productivity
  • Improving communication
  • Reviewing roles and responsibilities
  • Identifying recruitment needs
  • Building the required culture
  • Changes to agreements and benefits
  • Improving leadership skills


Financials

  • Analysis of profitability versus budget
  • Analysis of cash flow
  • Review of debtors and creditors
  • Analysis of liquidity
  • Analysis of financial efficiency (use of assets)
  • Analysis of working capital
  • Growth analysis

Sales & Customer Service

  • Review of sales by product or service category
  • Analysis of distribution channels
  • Review of distributor performance
  • Analysis of quote or proposal conversion
  • Identifying new products or services
  • Client satisfaction levels
  • Customer service improvement
  • Client diversification, retention and value
  • Reviewing competitors
  • Managing product or service complaints
  • Product pricing and gross margin management

Marketing

  • Improving lead and enquiry generation
  • Establishing a referrer program
  • Profile building activities
  • Reviewing prospecting activities
  • Establishing strategic alliances
  • Nurturing existing clients

Production

  • Supplier management and distribution rights
  • Research & development requirements
  • Reviewing job profitability
  • Asset management
  • Improving work flow and productivity

Administration

  • Protecting intellectual property
  • Compliance to the Trade Practices Act
  • Improving efficiency through systemisation
  • Improving shareholder alignment
  • Reviewing the business model and strategic direction
  • Reviewing data accuracy and security
  • Threat and risk identification
  • Improving time management and delegation

The frequency of the management meetings depends on the size and complexity of the business. We are well placed to discuss and recommend a program structure and frequency that will deliver the best outcome for the client.

Clients also receive unlimited telephone access to their advisor to discuss key issues that may arise during day to day operations.
This is a highly structured, hand’s on, roll your sleeves up program, not a talk fest over the phone.

Business Succession

In Australia, some 97% of all businesses are classified as family and privately owned. A significant proportion of these meet the definition of small business – that is, employing less than 20 people.

Small business employs approximately 40% of the Australian workforce. Indications are that up to 80% of all small business owners wish to retire in the next 10 years (source RMIT University 2006). This has significant implications for a number of groups including owners, employees and the government.

Succession planning is the process a business undertakes to ensure the business continues into the future, regardless of ownership or management. It is the planning process undertaken to transition to a new owner or new manager. It is the process used to maximise the value of the business upon transition.

Developing a well structured succession plan offers many benefits to you as a business owner:

  • Clarifies authority and organisational structure
  • Improves the performance and sustainability of the business
  • Maximises the value of the business
  • Assists greatly in the attraction and retention of key employees
  • Identifies risks associated with the departure of an owner or key employee from the business
  • Creates less reliance on the owner for day to day activities
  • Identifies potential family issues and value alignment

A well planned succession process implemented sooner rather than later, is the blueprint for ensuring the continuity and success of a business. Exiting a business is question of ‘when’ not ‘if’. All owners will exit at some stage so it is extremely important to take control of the inevitable. Succession planning should be considered regardless of how you are going to exit the business. Methods of exiting include:

  • Gift or sell to family member
  • General sale
  • Trade sale
  • Management buy-out or buy in
  • Public listing
  • Private equity

The Importance of Succession Planning

  • Succession planning will maximise the value of your business. Most businesses are valued and bought on their ability to provide dependable earnings into the future. Optimising profitability during the planning period will positively impact on the value of your business.
  • The succession planning process will unlock the true value of your business as productivity and efficiency gains across the business will be identified.
  • The survey data above indicates the likelihood of a significant number of businesses looking to transition in the next 10 years. Those that are well planned will find transition easier and quicker than those who are not.
  • Within a family business, passing ownership or control to a family member requires careful consideration to ensure continuity. Family members often have different values and views in terms of business vision, expectations and attitude to the business and stakeholders.

Good succession planning will greatly assist the chances of you achieving your personal, business and financial goals.

The Succession Planning Process

Business Links Advisory and Consulting Services have developed and can facilitate a detailed process to ensure the true value of your business is unlocked and then realised at the point of transition. The documentation and management of the process is a key factor in the success of any succession planning process.

The process focuses on both your personal requirements and those of the business.

Personal

  • Evaluate the current personal position
  • Identify the ideal personal position on/after succession
  • Implement initiatives to achieve the ideal position on/after succession

Some considerations within this part of the process include estate planning, financial planning, aspirations and preferred activities for the owner.

Business

  • Evaluate the current business position through a business diagnostic
  • Identify the ideal business situation at key points along the pathway to succession
  • Implement initiatives to achieve the ideal position at these key points

Some considerations in this part of the process are:

  • The timing of succession / sale
  • The current value of the business
  • The overall business model
  • The legal structure
  • Organisational structure, roles & responsibilities
  • Removing reliance on the owner
  • Systemising the business
  • Driving financial performance
  • Initiating a governance process
  • Identifying and developing key employees & managers
  • Legal issues such as agreements, leases and intellectual property
  • Driving productivity in each business area
  • Relationships between family members
  • Identifying untapped business
  • Identifying and courting potential buyers

We will ensure your business value is unlocked and maximised through a well defined and documented succession planning process.