Unify International Newsletter

Newsletter		November 17, 2006



Focus On: Financial and Operational Analysis In our last issue, we looked at "sweating the small stuff" to eliminate waste and increase profits. Now that you have a better understanding of how others are succeeding, and where they are spending their money, we'll probe deeper into how Unify International can help your firm in today's business climate. Based on the pain points we hear from our clients around the country, Unify International has developed our Benchmark Business Analysis and Benchmark Audit Survey services for just this purpose. In fact, 67% list "managing supply costs" as their top concern. Some of the most revealing "lessons learned" are featured on the right. Unify's financial and operational analysis services offer: • An inexpensive benchmark for national peer comparison • A means to quickly identify best practices that will boost operating margins • A detailed list of recommendations for immediate action We hope that the insights at the right and articles below enlighten you about challenges and solutions that others are experiencing and help your firm get started down the right path. We'd be pleased to talk with you further about your needs, and to demonstrate the quick payoffs that these types of undertaking frequently produce. Visit us to learn more. Best Regards, Steve McGee President Unify International		Fast Facts
		Lessons Learned from 18 Years of Financial Analysis • Even the strongest businesses have waste. In most cases, we find 15-20% of non-value-add costs. Most can be eliminated fairly quickly. • Jobsite cleanliness and safety directly impact quality and bottom-line costs. Improved safety records have saved our clients millions in insurance premiums alone. • Data leads to facts, which in turn lead to actionable improvements. It all boils down to doing a proper analysis of the small details. • Without benchmarking, companies continually repeat the same mistakes, project after project. • Getting all your players on the "same team" is the key to putting aside finger pointing and politics. Often it takes a neutral party to bring about real change. There is less to fear from outside competition than from inside inefficiency, discourtesy and bad service. – Anonymous
		Case Study
Related Links My, How Times Have Changed A brief introduction to our changing times, from Steve McGee, videotaped by Big Builder at a recent presentation. Builder Survival Guide Builders face obstacles in every direction, so this year's collection of trade secrets focuses on survival. Builder Magazine's guide helps turn challenges into opportunities. Housing Bubble to Deflate for at Least Two More Years Despite Greenspan's optimism, other measures point toward continued trouble. Big Builder Magazine examines market indicators. Boom! Bust! Boom? Contradictory market information abounds, as builders and homebuyers watch closely. Business Week sheds some light with its "History of Housing Busts."		A $30M HVAC and plumbing contractor conducted a financial and operational analysis when the owner wanted to improve profits and ready the company for sale. A Unify Benchmark Business Analysis (BBA) resulted in an improvement to the bottom line, from break-even to a sustained 12% margin. Improved processes meant such smooth operations that the owner was able to keep the company and use profits to invest in further innovation and efficiency, leading to growth in market capture.
		Survey Results
		33% of those surveyed expect no growth in revenue. 33% expected a 20% drop in revenue. 67% expect profits to drop 1-7%. 67% considered managing supply costs to be their biggest challenge.
Unify International 1450 North Tustin Avenue Suite 110 Santa Ana, CA 92705 • 877.972.4990 • www.unifyinternational.com
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