Labyrinth’s founders Paul Smith and Harvey Douglas head the Commercial Services Division. The products within this division enable logistics service providers to improve their commercial performance and profitability.
Paul is recognised as one of the UK’s leading experts in PR, marketing and business development for hauliers and 3PL’s. Harvey has a proven track record in purchasing, cost control and contract negotiation in the same sector, and jointly, through their experience in Jigsaw, they offer a broad span of practical expertise in corporate restructure.
Select one of the titles below for more information:
Commercial Healthcheck
Product:
- Comprehensive healthcheck of all commercial aspects of the client’s business
- Aimed at logistics service providers and hauliers
- Targeted at improving margins and cash flow and reducing costs
Approach:
- Initial evaluation of the client’s performance in key commercial areas – SWOT analysis
- These include – billing effectiveness, cash flow/aged debt risk analysis, approach to purchasing, supplier risk analysis, customer risk analysis, contract evaluations, approach to marketing and sales
- Identification of areas offering scope for improvement
- Production of a prioritised plan to tackle under-performing areas
Output:
- SWOT analysis
- List of areas to be addressed
- Prioritised action plan for those areas requiring change
- Implementation support as agreed with the client
Benefits:
- Removal of profit erosion within the current business
- dentification of areas presenting high commercial risk, allowing the client to evaluate its future strategy
- Reduction of future risk and exposure
£999 Quickie Commercial Check Up
Product:
- A one day, two man commercial check up for hauliers and 3PL’s with sub £15 million turnover
Approach:
- Evaluation of the business’ performance in key commercial areas – SWOT analysis
Output:
- One page prioritised checklist identifying under-performing areas and any major exposures or risks
- One page list of recommended actions
Benefits:
- A quick, cost-effective way for small businesses to have the key factors influencing commercial performance checked by experts
PR and Marketing for Logistics Service Providers
Product:
- A comprehensive review of the client’s approach to PR and marketing, aimed at optimising it’s profile in the marketplace, and generating more business
Approach:
- Evaluation of the client’s current approach to PR and marketing, including its marketing materials, target markets and objectives
- Gap analysis based on market perception of the client and its brand, the competition and the company’s own aspirations
Output:
- SWOT analysis document identifying how the client performs in each aspect of its approach to PR and marketing
- Prioritised action plan to improve performance
- Advice on, or actual production of new marketing materials – website, literature etc.
- Development of a cohesive PR plan including subjects and targets
Benefits:
- Increased exposure in the marketplace, leading to increased brand awareness
- High quality marketing materials for future use
- Increased stream of new business enquiries
- Increased sales
Sales and Business Development for Logistics Service Providers
Product:
- Support of client response to tenders
- Production of new business proposals
- Management of a sales project on behalf of a client
Approach:
- Acting as the client’s sales resource; either managing the entire process or part of it as advised
Output:
- Comprehensive documentation and presentations as required by the client
Benefits:
- The client is able to access the UK’s leading logistics business development resource on a “pay as you go” basis
- The client produces a response of the highest quality
- The client’s involvement in the tender process is given added impetus, gravitas and experience
Corporate Restructure
Product:
- Act as specialist advisors to clients in the areas of mergers, acquisitions and disposals
- Act as bridge between clients and financial institutions
- Carry out operational and commercial due diligence for prospective buyer in an acquisition situation
- Support management and/or administrators in corporate rescue situation
Approach:
- Dependent on project – each one is different
Output:
- Dependent on project – each one is different
Benefits:
- For the client: Access to specialists who understand their position, and are able to offer high quality advice on business and corporate strategy whilst understanding the perspective of a haulier/3PL
- For financial institutions: Access to specialists who understand what they require, and are able to translate these requirements quickly and efficiently to the haulier/3PL
- Operational and commercial due diligence carried out by logistics industry specialists. This will be done more thoroughly and quickly than that carried out by generalists
- The ability to hit the ground running in a logistics/haulage sector administration or receivership