Southam Consulting, LLC
http://www.southamconsulting.net

CASE STUDY 1

Situation: Company with $500 million sales base, $40 million loss.

Action: Implemented our STAR (Strategic Alignment Resources) re-engineering process. Able to scrub the product line eliminating low margin and low volume items, improve delivery processes, and implemented better measurement and accountability.

Result: Achieved $20 million profit in three years. (A turnaround of $60 million)

CASE STUDY 2

Situation: Company with $450 million sales base, substandard profitability.

Action: Implemented STAR process to enhance marketing efforts, simplify manufacturing processes and implement pay for skills program.

Result: Increased profits by $17 million from savings in two years.

CASE STUDY 3

Situation: Company with $25 million sales, previous five years of stagnant stock value.

Action: Implemented STAR process, strengthened management team, open-book management practices, and worked on teams at all levels.

Result: Stock value grew 381% and net income tripled in six years.

CASE STUDY 4

Situation: International fast food company needed to reduce expenses by $6,000,000. Initial plans called for elimination of 120 corporate positions.

Action: Implemented STAR with corporate and field operations with intense focus on bottom line with a very short deadline.

Result: Within six weeks able identify and make changes that would result in savings of $9,000,000. Only 19 corporate positions were eliminated.

CASE STUDY 5

Situation: A manufacturing plant with 1,500 employees represented by five different labor unions, with long history of labor unrest and poor operational performance.

Action: Implemented STAR with inclusion of labor leadership and plant management, implemented team processes with emphasis on innovation and operations.

Result: Within six months, expenses were reduced by $350,000, operations were improved and there was a marked improvement in morale as reported by each all constituencies.

CASE STUDY 6

Situation: An engineering company that specialized in designing large municipal facilities (water treatment plants, etc.) struggled with coordinating resources among multiple projects and managing cash flow.

Action: Implemented STAR with internal resources and some key long term clients.

Results: Decreased accounts receivable to acceptable levels, improved coordination of resources for maximum productivity. Profits increased 7%. Strengthened client/customer working relationships and communications. Note that most of the above sample examples are from large companies. STAR works well with smaller companies as well. The smallest company where STAR has been used so far has annual sales of $800,000.

Does STAR work for smaller companies?

Check this out. A financial services company with 25 employees used STAR to create a clear and compelling strategic plan. Later when other related industries were struggling during an economic downturn, this company was well positioned for growth. The CEO found the process so helpful that he remarked he almost looked forward to another downturn because his company was up for the challenge.

� Southam Consulting, LLC, 2004