Examples of recent cases

Here we list examples of recent cases handled by our consultancy firm. These are very different kinds of practical cases with various approaches: when we act before the problem occurs, when the problem is already evident and when the company is close to bankruptcy.

These are practical cases in which the situation of each organisation is very different:

A family-run business in the hospitality sector, run by the father and mother but without any children interested in managing it.

Two alternatives were proposed:

  • The sale of the company
  • The constitution of a board of directors, with the children and external professionals as members, and the recruitment of a general manager.

Following an analysis in which the five factors on which our studies are based were examined, the second option was chosen.

Within a non-governmental organisation the management team never made decisions, they always ended up asking the general manager to make them for them. Then no one agreed with him. Each manager defended his own department and nobody regarded the organisation as a whole.

Despite being a person open to dialogue and discussing any matter, the general manager was regarded as a dictator; his own team generated the dictator.

A six-month decision-making and supervisory plan was implemented. These actions helped the team to make decisions and remain in alignment, including the general manager.

A machinery design and manufacturing company with 200 employees had invested in the construction of a new warehouse to expand the business. The banks were happy to support the investment, as the company posted excellent results and had interesting potential projects.

The situation in its main market, Latin America, changed and most of the projects were halted. Then it initiated a “business change”; instead of focusing on design and mechanisation, its efforts were focused on negotiating with lawyers and going to court to sue for its debts. Soon the creditors were calling the manager to demand what belonged to them.

We calculated that it could survive for a further 67 days, so we drew up a basic plan to be executed in 15 days.

  • Don’t pay anyone in the next 15 days
    • Analyse all the potential assets to be sold
      • Evaluate the management
        • Draw up a feasibility plan (3 months)

The new warehouse was sold, generating considerable losses but ensuring the continuity of the operations for a few months. The projects in the portfolio could be supplied perfectly well with the old one.

We reviewed the machinery fleet. Some of it was sold due to being surplus to requirements, and it was decided to put the rest to work continuously, in 16-hour shifts for the time being.

After drawing up a business plan, we renegotiated the debt with the banks and suppliers of materials.

We appointed a manager with technical qualifications as the factory director and an engineer from the technical office who provided support for the customers as the sales manager. Among the management team, only the financial director was willing to help however he could from day one. A managing director was recruited to head the company within a year and a half.