REAL PROBLEMS vS MEASURABLE RESULTS
We report what we can support, not what makes the best marketing headlines.
from one word problem to working software implementation
A company with approximately 15 employees serving the aerospace and defense supply chain.
The engagement began with a NDA during our 20 minute free engagement.
The owner DID NOT need an assessment. He already knew the problem. When asked what needed fixing, his answer was simple
“Quoting. That’s it.”
What we built
Drakkar developed a quoting tool designed around the company’s existing quoting and workflow.
The system readings incoming RFQ information for items such as
Material
Finish
Certifications
Quantity
Due dates
It converts those requirements into a structured checklist, flags missing or contradictory information, and prepares the quote using the company’s existing format and relevant historical information.
Instead of repeatedly reading and retyping the same information the user can focus on review and pricing.
DATA CONTROL
The tool was designed to operate within the client’s environment using process information already available to the business. This allowed them to be compliant with the governments cyber-security requirements needed for their federal government work. It kept the build within their network and was not tied to the web at all.
DATA CONTROL
The proof of concept was approved and the final project was installed within the same week.
The owner and Drakkar Operations worked together for the next 30 days working out any bugs and issues together.
We Saved this client on average 10-25 hours of owner time and 20-30 of proposer time.
In the end we not only saved time but brought the company more business as they were able to respond and win an upgraded a reported 12% win rate after utilizing the program for 30 days.
$63,000 in identified savings & avoided costs
A one person machine shop brought Drakkar Ops in to examine where time and money were being lost across the business
What we found
Quotes could take up to 8 hours each to prepare. Some RFQs were never submitted simply because the owner ran out of time; meaning opportunities disappeared before he could even bid them.
We also identified
Roughly $500 per month being spent on a directory listing sold as marketing.
Several thousand dollars previously being paid for federal registration assistance that could be obtained through a no-cost public resource.
A bookkeeping arrangement with little visibility into what work was actually being performed.
Additional substantial costs connected to a third party SBA related service, where we identified a no cost resource that could assist instead
The Result
The initial review identified roughly $1,000 per month in recurring expenses, or approximately $12,000 per year.
Continued review and assistance later brought the total identified savings and avoided costs to more than:
$63,000
And we reached those findings before proposing custom software.
What we told him not to buy
- Custom Accounting software
We recommended an established commercial accounting product instead.
Building something custom would have introduced unnecessary financial and tax risk when an inexpensive proven solution already existed.
- Our own follow-on product
After reviewing the numbers, the business case did not support the cost
WE declined the sale in writing and explained why
A referral and advisory option made more sense for this case.
- Staffing Reccomendations
We did not tell the owner whether to hire.
We focused on giving him better visibility into his numbers so he could make that decision himself.
SOMETIMES THE BEST RECOMMENDATION WE CAN MAKE IS TO NOT SELL YOU ANYTHING
HOW WE report results:
Every number has a basis:
We document whether a finding came from client provided information, direct observation, measured time, or documented expense.
We establish the baseline first
Whenever results are going to be measured, the starting point is recorded before the implementation
We report conservatively
When there is uncertainty, we use the lower defensible figure
Not every finding deserves action
If the cost of fixing something exceeds the value of fixing it, “we tell you no”.
No opportunity means no assessment fee.
If an assessment identifies nothing worth acting on, the assessment fee is refunded in full.