Our work is effective, quick and resolute!

Changing market conditions, a rising number of competitors or a difficult situation within the business may all cause critical situations for a company.

In order to turn difficult situations into a positive development, it is often necessary to take quick, decisive and effective measures.

The sooner such a development is noticed and the sooner the company consults professional advisers, the more likely is it to return the company to profitability and to overcome the crisis.

In critical situations we offer the following services:

1. The analytical phase

• analysing the roots of the crisis
• submitting an expert’s report to examine whether the company can be reorganized

2. Development of a concept

• developing a concept, i.e. a list of measures to take in critical situations
• creating a crisis plan and putting it into practise 
• examining the strategic position and, if necessary, developing new strategies

3. Assistance in putting the concept into effect

• assuming the responsibility for steps to be taken in critical situations
• conducting all negotiations with banks, other investors and stakeholders
• developing and applying new (and alternative) concepts of financing
• safeguarding liquidity by developing and implementing programmes, whose purpose is to improve the performance
• developing a financial and profit planning
• applying new control concepts and early warning systems
  

• arranging new contacts to financial institutions and banks
• restructuring the company’s organization and its internal work flow
• negotiating with the company’s work council over social plans and a balancing of conflicting interests
• introducing resolute cost management
• developing and applying programmes to increase sales

The starting point

Due to difficult economic circumstances and changing market conditions as well as wrong decisions taken by the management in the past, many small and medium-sized businesses find themselves in a difficult economic and financial situation. In order to avoid the impending insolvency and to return the company to profitability, this requires sweeping corrective measures because only then can the company be rescued and will be able to recover. Especially in the case of a crisis in liquidity but also in a crisis of performance, there is thus an urgent need for action which forces the management to take quick and determined measures.

In order to have far more possibilities available to solve the crisis, it is essential to react as soon as possible to a strategic or structural crisis within the company. The sooner an impending crisis is recognized and tackled consistently, the more possibilities and chances will there be to pave the way to a positive development. A critical situation usually reaches its peak in the form of a liquidity crisis, which is normally preceded by a structural crisis and a crisis in performance. It is a key task for the entrepreneur to detect these crises in time and to tackle them resolutely. It is, however, also one of the most difficult tasks for the management. Therefore, but also as a preventive measure, we strongly recommend to enlist the external help of well-trained experts.

Once the performance or liquidity crisis has arisen, it can no longer be avoided to engage the services of an external turnaround management. This is not only expected by banks and other investors. Under these conditions, the professional help of a manager or a team of managers, who are familiar with such situations, is also imperative, in order to take the right decisions and measures in time.

The goals of our work

The first step is to establish a prognosis for the continuation of the business in order to guide the company’s reorganization in case of a positive prognosis. With the help of a resolute crisis management, it will be possible to make a short-term turnaround and to return to a long-term profitability with its conventional margins.

The procedure

On the basis of our expertise in reorganisation and restructuring, we have established the following steps, which might differ in special cases

1. The analytical phases (identifying the roots of the crisis)

• examining all contracts and important legal relations
• brief analysis of former balances and income statements
• achieving clarity through true and clear figures
• analysing all products and the assortment of goods, the customers and suppliers, the structure of employees, internal activities and procedures of the company and its concept, financing, merchandise information and purchasing 
• identifying all current loans and credit lines and their collateralization
• analysis of the market and competitors

Immediate measures will be developed and taken quickly. Do not loose time!

2. Developing a concept
Both external (e.g. structure and economic situation of the sector, competitive position and market trends) and internal factors (e.g. concept, management, corporate culture, employees, products, benefit programmes, value added pattern, cost and revenue accounting and liquidity planning) are considered adequate when we develop a concept for your business. In this concept, we define strategic and operative measures that will be integrated into a master plan, which sets the time standards.

Immediate measures will be continued and controlled and, if necessary, they will even be extended.

3. Assistance in putting the concept into effect

In cooperation with those who are in charge of the company, we will develop a professional project management by defining measures, goals and time standards and by allocating responsibilities. Since all employees will be part of the team, the measures are more likely to be accepted and the whole personnel will be integrated in the procedure. A team of advisers constantly directs and supports the project, monitors the company’s development and, if necessary, derives recommendations for these developments. We also establish the bank reporting, arrange and, if required, even conduct negotiations with financial institutes and perhaps other lenders. We set up a steering committee which manages the whole project and consists of the company’s management, assorted employees from all functional areas of the business and a team of advisors. It is this committee that determines the course for a successful project.

Measures and important milestones will be established and pursued. If necessary, immediate measures will be taken with the help of experienced interim managers.

Results

Experience shows that the results we achieve are extraordinarily successful and offer satisfactory solutions for all those involved, particularly for shareholders, the managing board, employees and lenders. This demonstrates that we try to meet the expectations of those within the company and those interested in it. This consensus-approach is our key to success.

Our expertise

In cooperation with our reliable partners, we very successfully complete projects in a variety of small and medium-sized businesses of all sectors. In cases of special interest, we can provide references. Since we guarantee confidentiality these can, however, only be supplied with our clients’ consent.

Your particular benefits

• avoiding insolvency and averting the inability to pay
• averting an impending crisis
• solving the crisis and returning to profitability
• rapid turnaround due to a resolute management
• restructuring your methods of financing (if necessary identifying even new sources of financing)
• assuming responsibilities in the form of interim management (if necessary even in the executive board)
• very advantageous cost-benefit ratio
• assuring a continued existence of the company, both in the short term and in the long term
• unbiased valuation of the situation and no conflicting interests
• our expertise in your industry and experience in reorganisation will guarantee a successful turnaround
• identifying the reasons for losses and then eliminating them
• developing a flexible and efficient plan in accordance to the market demand

Due to the vast experiences we have in the field of reorganisation, we will develop the perfect method to return your company to profitability. We are happy to successfully provide our expertise to your company!