1 Growth to Exit

When… even good financials with rapid and continued growth didn’t prove to be a winning formula for selling ‘Company X’, something that would add real value had to be done.

The prospective buyers of ‘Company X’ liked the ‘figures/accounts’ but weren’t so keen on the fact that critical knowledge was held in the heads key employees. New staff entering the company (due to rapid growth) brought with them their own way of doing things and above all the Managing Director micro-managed business operations. The prospective buyers were interested in purchasing the company but at a reduced figure and the Managing Director would have to sign a tie-in clause for a significant number of years… certainly not a case of ‘take the money and move on’.

What… Adroit & Associates delivered,through 1 to 1 interviews, ‘at desk’ observations and group workshops, was an online portal of ‘How to’ guides… how to do things the ‘Company X’ way.

To achieve this A&A formalised business processes by defining a business framework and developing from it, a hierarchical map of process diagrams that could be accessed and shared across the business. The method and software used, enabled business artefacts such as forms, procedure documents, compliance and regulation documents (etc) to be attached to specific and relevant activities. So instead of the finished article being a printed document that sat on a shelf collecting dust, the output became an online and easily accessible map of how to do things the ‘Company X’ way.

Why… the Managing Director has had opportunity and continues to have the opportunity of documenting and sharing his way of doing business, allowing the Managing Director to move from micro-manager to Leader.

‘Company X’ is no longer dependent on the knowledge held in a few key employees’ heads.

New employees entering the rapidly growing and evolving environment of ‘Company X’ can view the ‘How to’ guides and associated support documents and very quickly understand what is required of them.

New employees are now empowered to share their experience with ‘Company X’ via a feedback mechanism in the mapping software…a fresh pair of eyes can sometimes offer valuable insight and feedback to a growing company.

AND…what about the prospective buyers? With their previous concerns/reservations/objections having been addressed, we suspect the value of the company has just gone up.

How… Can we add further value?

By identifying and adding quality assurance (review and action) related processes along with associated and relevant documentation. Such action will allow the business framework to act as a quality assurance process. Making it much easier to obtain and maintain quality assurance certification.

By identifying assessment criteria that relate to Company X’s strategic goals and then assigning related metrics to key activities throughout the hierarchical diagrams. This would support the strategic goal and mission by enabling ‘what the business does’ to be measured against ‘what the business says it does’.