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A to Z Cleaning Services South West Ltd

Redruth

Area of business:

Commercial daily cleaning and specialist carpet cleaning for high traffic areas using specially designed vehicle mounted equipment.

A to Z operate nationally with blue chip customers in leisure accommodation, hotels, restaurants, retail, shipping, trains, education and general office

Challenge/Task:

To restructure the financing and control systems within A to Z, following a period of rapid turnover and cost growth.

Crisp Involvement:

Lead Consultant: David Robshaw

Approach/solution:

Crisp agreed with the owners to develop a business plan and organisational restructure following the rapid growth within the company, as a basis for secure next stage development.

Process:

The Crisp team undertook the following:

• Review of financing, reporting and control systems
• Review of staff skills within the business, both financial and operations
• Preparation of business plan and three year financial forecasts showing cash requirements
• Review of cash flow projections and finance and creditor obligations
• Development of new organisation and operating structure

Outcomes:

The Crisp team completed the above within about three months, which was accepted and implemented in full by the directors, which led to the following activity:

• recruitment of new financial controller and re-designation of other key roles in accounts and operations
• development of new monthly reporting system
• development of new rolling twelve month budgets and forecasts against which to monitor actual monthly performance
• preparation of a business plan setting out how the business will grow over the next three years
• introduction of more structured remuneration packages for senior staff
• re-negotiation of key banking and other creditor financing terms
• provision of part time financial director service to satisfy banker and shareholder needs, and assist in key implementation activities

Satisfactions:

The business has improved profitability and cash flow and is operating within its financing facilities.  The confidence of its financiers has been maintained and additional facilities secured.  Turnover has been increased despite some loss of key high street customers reflecting difficult high street trading by the acquisition of new business in other sectors, such as transport and education.  The business now has the control systems, structure and financing in place to grow steadily in line with its potential and the shareholders aspirations.