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What exactly can Bill do for your company? The following case studies provide insight into a few recent projects:
The Client: METAL SOLUTIONS is a team of artists, designers and metal workers. The company works with architects, interior designers, contractors and residential clients. Their products include a wide range of custom and made-to-order metal fabrications, such as railings, gates, furniture, sculpture and artworks. End users are primarily owners of premium properties in the Pacific Northwest. Steve Northey heads the company. Why They Called Bill: Northey recognized that the workflow process was “dysfunctional.” They needed someone with experience in operations, who would analyze the current situation and make concrete recommendations on how to improve efficiency and – in the process – profitability. What Bill Did: First, he listened. As the studio lead remarked: “That guy’s the best listener I’ve ever met.” Bill quickly and accurately identified the company’s “pain points,” namely processes, resources, accountability, consistency, quality control and aesthetics. He made detailed recommendations regarding production scheduling and establishing clear ownership of tasks and responsibilities. Bill presented practical methods to improve company communications and advanced training. This, all part of Phase One. Phase Two involves the best methods to actually implement the recommendations made in Phase One. The Result: This is perhaps best summarized by Steve Northey: “Bill was incredible in his ability to analyze our current business workflow. He provided methodical and accurate feedback and gave us appropriate direction. It was beyond my expectations in every way. I am really excited about the next step and pushing forward.” The Client: METAL SOLUTIONS is a team of artists, designers and metal workers. The company works with architects, interior designers, contractors and residential clients. Their products include a wide range of custom and made-to-order metal fabrications, such as railings, gates, furniture, sculpture and artworks. End users are primarily owners of premium properties in the Pacific Northwest. Steve Northey heads the company. Why They Called Bill: Northey and his team were pleased with the improvements that Bill’s Phase One recommendations had made in the company’s production process. Northey anticipated how much more smoothly his business would run with a set of tools designed to address each of the “pain points” Bill had outlined for the company. What Bill Did: Bill took the old adage, “what can be measured can be managed,” and applied it specifically to Metal Solutions’ processes. In Phase One, Bill had identified ways to improve the workflow. Now, he got down to details. Through what Northey calls a “transparent process,” Bill listened to the team and learned their language and the specifics of their workflow. He then created customized tools and spreadsheets for the team to use throughout the workflow, including project estimation guidelines, project planning documents, and a suite of detailed task lists. He introduced these tools gradually, through a progressive set of meetings. In this way, Northey explains, “the team could learn each tool and see how things fit together in Bill’s reinvention of our workflow.” Northey was impressed with the final product. “Now we spend much less time figuring out where we are, because we can view our projects from point to point during the process,” he says. We have a quantified map to work from, so we’re no longer reinventing the wheel for every job.” The Result: The company’s workflow settled into a predictable, measurable routine, and Northey found that all of his team members were literally working from the same page, always referring to the tools Bill created to dictate their next steps. Northey observes, “We’ve saved a lot of time and money, because we are now able to see our entire process clearly, comprehensively, and well in advance. Bill’s legacy of tools is amazing!” The Client: R.W. KIM & COMPANY provides a full range of financial planning services for both individuals and businesses. Its team of advisors works with individuals interested in wealth accumulation and management, estate planning, and retirement planning. And for businesses they oversee 401(k), benefits, and pension plans – as well as advise executives in business succession planning and provide financial planning seminars for employees. They pride themselves on their ability to recognize diverse needs and circumstances, and craft unique solutions for each client. Randy Kim runs the business. Why They Called Bill: Anticipating the growth of his client base, Kim understood that he needed to define his processes so that operations could run smoothly. He also wanted to eliminate duplicated efforts within the company in order to complete work more quickly – which would benefit both his clients and his bottom line. He knew that in order to increase the amount of work his company could handle, he would need an effective and efficient system in place. What Bill Did: Kim was pleased that “Bill took the leadership role and we took the subordinate role” – allowing Kim the time to focus on the business while Bill led the project. Bill spent time with each employee and was able to quickly assemble a precise picture of where the company’s processes stood. His methods impressed Kim. “Bill is a very good listener,” Kim reports. “He asked questions accurately to get through the minutiae and gain a clear understanding of our business.” From that point, Bill created detailed process documentation and mapped out every step in each of their processes. Kim explains, “I could not have envisioned being able to document our processes with the level of accuracy that he did.” Nor did Kim realize what a pleasure the project would be: “When I worked with Bill, it was evident every time I talked with him that he really enjoys what he’s doing.” Bill’s confidence and easy manner made for a satisfying experience. Kim says, “Bill always has positive insights. There isn’t any problem so overwhelming that he doesn’t feel we can work our way through.” The Result: Once Bill provided a coherent, comprehensive roadmap to the company’s processes, Kim found that his company was able to handle a significant increase in clientele and provide a consistently higher level of service to existing clients – all without adding staff. “The work Bill did has really paid big dividends for us. We simply wouldn’t have been able to handle the upswing in clientele without the work he did,” Kim says. “We have less redundancy, fewer expenses, fewer mistakes – ultimately, this means more profitability to our company.”
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