The Improvements Meetings bridge

The Improvements Meetings bridge

The Improvement Meetings bridge enables firms to facilitate a range of one-off improvement meetings with their clients to support them to set and implement improvement strategies.

Important info
Improvement Meetings should be delivered by someone who understands the client's business, and who can identify risks and opportunities in their numbers.

To access the Improvement Meetings bridge, go to Navigation panel >  Bridges > Improvement Meetings.

Understanding the Improvement Meetings process

An Improvement Meeting is a low-risk investment for the client, designed to uncover immediate improvement opportunities while demonstrating the value of committing to ongoing coaching.

The Improvement Meeting process mimics the process of any accountability coaching session:
  1. Client pre-work to clarify where they are now, where they want to be in the future, and the opportunities exist
  2. An online or in-person meeting to unpack their responses, identify improvement strategies, and define actions for the clients to take as a result
Key resources to view before you deliver this service:
  1. The Process Guide outlines best practice use of the content in the Annual Accounts Review bridge; click the Download Process Guide button in the top right-hand corner to view this guide
  2. Watch this video to understand the specific process for marketing, selling and delivery of the Cashflow and Profit Improvement Meeting (the most popular improvement meeting)
Note
Ensure you review the Process Guide prior to using the content in the bridge.

Marketing the Improvement Meeting service

There are many ways to actively market the Improvement Meeting service, including:
  1. Discussing your Improvement Meeting service as part of an Onboarding Meeting or Annual Accounts Review Meeting.
  2. Sending out relevant educational marketing content to your database to subtly position the value of an Improvement Meeting.
    1. Go to Navigation panel >  Marketing  > The Gap + BOMA  >  The Gap + BOMA Content Library Catalogue to check out our education marketing content ready for you to send via BOMA​
  3. Hosting one of our Gap Webinars or Seminars to generate interest in your Improvement Meetings service.
    1. Check out our Achieving Cashflow Freedom webinar available in Navigation panel >  Bridges > Gap Webinars > Achieving Cashflow Freedom

The Improvement Meeting Proposals

There's a proposal in the Improvement Meetings Bridge for each specific meeting. Only send a proposal after gaining conceptual agreement.
  1. If your client does not accept the proposal within 7 days, call them to follow up and reposition the value
For more information, see our Using Proposals article.

Delivering the Improvement Meetings

Client outcomes

By attending an Improvement Meeting, clients will:
  • Improve their financial awareness and general business skills
  • Identify likely improvement potential or risk mitigation for their business
  • Document steps they will take as a result
  • Identify how to work with you to achieve their goals

Session duration

An Improvement Meeting usually takes 90 minutes.

The service

You will facilitate a structured Improvement Meeting to identify potential areas to add value or mitigate risk.

Key content in the bridge includes:
  1. Pre-work: to avoid a 'meeting of discovery' and allow you and the client to consider where the greatest improvement opportunities lie.
  2. Delivery Notes: to aid delivery of the meeting while you build confidence to freestyle.
  3. Tools: our Improvement Meetings typically include a tool to support your meeting delivery, such as The Value Gap Calculator or Risk Register. Familiarise yourself with the tool you need prior to delivering the meeting.
  4. Meeting Minutes: to record additional notes and actions and send immediately after the session with the relevant output attached, e.g. Value Gap Analysis Report or Risk Register.
  5. Resources: to provide the client additional value after the meeting.

Important info
We recommend enforcing a 'no pre-work, no meeting' policy. Politely discuss the benefit of pre-work and, if necessary, reschedule the meeting so it does not become one of discovery.

Tip
During the meeting, focus on only 1-2 strategies with tactics for improvement and select strategies that will have the biggest impact to avoid overwhelm and allow the client to focus on successfully implementing the strategies and realising the improvements identified.

Specific Improvement Meetings

The two most common meetings are the Cashflow and Profit Improvement Meeting and the Risk Management Meeting.


Cashflow & Profit Improvement Meeting (CPIM)

The Cashflow & Profit Improvement meeting uncovers immediate opportunities to improve the client’s cashflow and profit. It also enables clients to see the value of what’s possible if they undertake more in-depth Cashflow Management services.

Advisors will use the Value Gap Calculator to establish strategies and actions for the client and provide the client with a Value Gap Analysis Report outlining the strategies.

The Risk Management Meeting (RMM)

Every business decision carries risk, be that financial, legal, or reputational. Integrating risk management into business strategy, can minimise the potential impact and support clients to anticipate and mitigate risks before they eventuate.

Advisors will use the Risk Register to establish risk and prioritise mitigation strategies and actions for the client.

The Value Ladder

Improvement Meetings are a low-cost service that is usually the first or second paid rung on a firm’s advisory Value Ladder. They are designed to establish scope for deeper advisory opportunities such as ongoing Accountability Coaching and annual Business Planning.

Improvement Meetings could also be included as an annual service in one of your more basic Advisory Service Plans.

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