How does Ibis reflect private equity techniques?:

Ibis provides the outside perspective to all businesses it operates with, reviewing performance against best practice benchmarks; Ibis focuses on developing core operations and competences; Ibis helps drive businesses out through identifying KPI's and through project management concentration; Ibis concentrates on investment appraisal, and cash management in strategic development.

The upgrading of our planning seems to be a lot of work. Is there a step by step approach?

Changing from an information poor planning system, limited to a few individuals, to an information rich method which involves key members of the management team, is complicated. Ibis have developed an approach which integrates best practice of change management with the flexibility to adapt to each company's particular requirements. As Ibis use their standard operating procedure (SOP) for business planning in their business plan training, this is the best introduction to the demands of the new business planning system.

How does Ibis improve operational performance?

Improvement in planning and controls leads to a both an increase in sales and a reduction in the cost base, creating better margins, cash flow and overall returns. This is achieved by a detailed bottom up application of analysis and implementation with improvements specifically in:

Customer life values (CLV) and improved customer profitability;

Better strategic selection yielding higher returns;

Cost cutting based on cost benefit analysis (with now over 140 cost cutting techniques);

Staff retention and skills enhancement through team based programmes;

Responding to problems and opportunities more rapidly;

Building competitive advantage through greater market, operational and customer understanding.

Each company has different planning development requirements. The Ibis questionnaire identifies the current status and the opportunities that exist for profitable development of the planning environment. This is available from Ibis free of charge. Send us an e-mail

What are the differences between a primary and tertiary planning company?

Companies integrate more and more components of control and information into their planning systems as they move through primary, secondary and tertiary systems. Ibis can provide a free article which identifies the main stages. Send us an e-mail to receive it.

The upgrading of our planning seems to be a lot of work. Is there a step by step approach?

Changing from an information poor planning system, limited to a few individuals, to an information rich method which involves key members of the management team, is complicated. Ibis have developed an approach which integrates best practice of change management with the flexibility to adapt to each company's particular requirements. As Ibis use their standard operating procedure (SOP) for business planning in their business plan training, this is the best introduction to the demands of the new business planning system.

(Training) (Change management) (SOP)

What size of company can benefit?

Ibis planning systems are an ideal management development tool. Once the company has an established departmental system with one or two managers responsible for day to day operations the integration of the company via monitoring modules, plan review and standard operating procedures will generate greater and greater returns. In practical terms this means a company employing more than 50 people; a turnover in excess of 1.5 million euros.

Is there a normal sequence for the introduction of monitoring modules?

Though companies vary according to their exact needs, Ibis has found that a particular sequence enables the close integration of standard operating procedures and skills development (these would include investment appraisal, project management, cost cutting, manpower planning, training, and business planning at an early stage). The normal proposed sequence would be:

Financial management

Personnel management

Production/ logistics management

Marketing management

Contingency management (and risk assessment)

New product/ service development

IT management

Competitive analysis

Strategic analysis

(Business monitoring) (Articles)

How is the system updated?

The introduction of monitoring modules should be seen as a central part of the management reporting system. With departmental managers responsible for their own modules, the monthly review day concentrates on current performance and future targets which are translated into action plans via investment appraisal and project management techniques which integrate into the review process. Formal planning sessions (the annual plan normally at the beginning of the year, and the half year update before the summer holidays) update targets and investment planning. Senior management can exclude members of the team from some parts of the review with Ibis normally either present throughout the review or identifying problems within the monitoring modules at a distance.

(Articles) (Effective business planning)

My experience of plans is that they take an enormous amount of work, are printed in a nice binder, and then are forgotten and useless. What is different in the Ibis approach?

Different audiences require different types of plan, but there should always be a core of best practice.

The vital part of any plan is that it should be capable of continuous review and improvement. The Ibis methodology which involves departmental monitoring modules which focus on key performance indicators and benchmarks provides managers with the ability to contribute towards the overall health of the business. From these individual monitoring modules a completed business plan can be created should external stakeholders require one – but it is not the purpose of the plan. This approach also emphasises action – not analysis – a common problem of the majority of business plans.

(KPI) (Action Planning) (Articles)

Our business is developing well without detailed planning. So why should we bother?

Moving from a good answer to an optimal one requires analysis and continuous review. Ensuring that the business can deal with problems such as disaster and loss of key employees also makes sense and is a key part of the planning process. So planning improves efficiencies and the ability to respond to change. It is also a vital element in dealing with maximising business value and recovering from major crises.

(Business Monitoring) (Contingency Planning) (Survival and Recovery planning) (Exit Planning)

We have a small management team. What you are proposing is creating a much bigger framework – decisions will be slower – so why should we do it?

Growing businesses grow more quickly and are valued more highly if they:

Have good corporate governance;

Have an experienced management team;

Understand in detail the external and internal environment;

Manage risk through comprehensive analysis.

It is inevitable that complex organisations require complex solutions. Growth demands delegation and involvement of more individuals – the Ibis approach provides a viable platform which integrates best practice in a functional approach to improving corporate performance.

(Corporate governance) (Effective planning)

Why does Ibis make the distinction between established businesses and start up operations?

This is because start up businesses and established businesses have very different requirements to optimise the rate of return. Start up businesses need to emphasise structural components in their analysis and planning – while established businesses need to focus on operational improvements. This is why Ibis uses a very different approach for start up operations using a template system based on existing software for training and emphasising the structural components in the completion of the plan.

(Training) (Business plan outline) (Investment case summary)

Does the same approach work for not-for-profit organisations?

The disciplines involved for the non-profit organisation are completely similar to those of the commercial company, though objectives and key performance indicators have to be changed.

(KPI) (Articles)

What is the first step for the established business?

Ibis will sign a non-disclosure document and choose a member of the team who will be your main point of contact. Ibis will then first convert the financial records into the first of the monitoring modules and introduce this to the management team with key standard operating procedures. This will then be followed by the agreed sequence of modules and integrated KPI/ benchmark/ standard operating procedures.

How quickly can it be achieved?

Typically, the full-scale introduction of monitoring modules will be completed over a six month period with Ibis working with departmental managers to build relevant skills. Ensuring that standard operating procedures are fully used throughout any organisation will take longer and require to be integrated into the training programme.

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Ibis Associates

European office La Vieille Loge, La Milliere, 86700, Romagne, Poitiers, France

Tel: 0033 (0) 5 49 87 80 76

E-Mail: Info@ibisassoc.co.uk

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