Frequently Asked Questions

The Operational Diagnostic is a structured 60–90 minute assessment of how your business operates. We examine your workflows, processes, compliance posture, system effectiveness, and operational risks — then deliver a written, prioritised action plan within 48 hours. It's free because it's our entry point. We believe businesses should understand their operational picture before committing to any engagement, and we'd rather earn your trust with a clear, useful deliverable than a sales pitch.

Operational consulting means looking at how your business runs — not what it sells. It covers the processes your team follows (or doesn't), the systems they use (or work around), the compliance obligations they're managing (or avoiding), and the way work flows through the organisation. For a small business, the outcome is usually clearer processes, reduced dependency on individual people, closed compliance gaps, and systems that support growth rather than restrict it.

This service is specifically designed for businesses with 5 to 50 staff. Larger businesses have access to in-house operations teams and enterprise consulting firms. Smaller businesses that haven't outgrown their informal systems don't need us yet. The sweet spot is owner-managed businesses that are growing — where the informal approach that worked at 5 staff is starting to break at 15 or 20.

Our services are largely industry-agnostic. Operational inefficiency, person-dependency, and compliance gaps look similar whether you run an engineering workshop, a property management company, a professional services firm, or a trade business. We've worked across manufacturing, construction, professional services, retail, and service-based businesses. If you're owner-managed and growing, the diagnostic will be useful regardless of sector.

Tier 1 (Operational Diagnostic) is where every engagement starts — free, structured assessment, written action plan. Tier 2 (Process Design & Compliance) is project-based consulting: we map and document your processes, close compliance gaps, and design the frameworks your team needs. Tier 3 (Automation & Systems) is technical delivery — we build and configure the tools, integrations, and automation your business needs. Tier 4 (Ongoing Operations Support) is a monthly retainer for continuous improvement, system maintenance, and operational advisory.

No. You can engage at any tier, and there's no obligation to continue to the next. Many clients start with the free diagnostic, receive the action plan, and choose to implement recommendations themselves. Others engage us for specific tiers based on what they need. The tiers are designed to flow into each other naturally — but each stands alone.

We cover the compliance areas most relevant to South African SMEs: POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act) readiness and data handling frameworks; labour law compliance including employment contracts, disciplinary procedures, and leave management; and BBBEE documentation and gap analysis. We identify gaps and create practical frameworks — we're not a legal firm, and we'll tell you clearly when something requires a specialist.

The Operational Diagnostic takes 60–90 minutes for the session, with a written deliverable within 48 hours. Process Design & Compliance engagements vary significantly depending on the scope — a focused SOP project may take two to three weeks, while a full compliance framework might take four to six. Automation and systems implementations are scoped individually before any work begins. All timelines and scope are agreed in writing before work starts.

You receive a written, prioritised action plan within 48 hours. It outlines what we found, what the risks are, and what to address first — in order of impact. If the findings indicate that one of our service tiers would be useful, we'll say so and explain why. If they don't, we'll say that too. The diagnostic is diagnostic — its purpose is clarity, not conversion.

The Operational Diagnostic is free — no obligation, no strings. Beyond that, pricing depends on the scope. Process Design & Compliance engagements start from R4,990 and are scoped and quoted in writing before any work begins. Automation & Systems projects are priced per project. Ongoing Support retainers start from R5,000 per month. We don't do open-ended billing — every engagement has a fixed scope and a fixed price.

Freelancers can execute tasks but typically can't diagnose the root cause of operational problems. Agencies often focus on a single discipline — marketing, development, or design — rather than how your business actually runs. We sit between the two: structured methodology and strategic thinking, combined with hands-on delivery. We diagnose before we prescribe, and we implement what we design. You get one provider from assessment through to working solution.

If you recognise any of these: processes that live in one person's head, compliance areas you know you're exposed on, manual work that creates errors, or systems that worked at five staff but are straining at fifteen — you're in the right place. You don't need to have everything figured out before reaching out. The diagnostic exists precisely to give you that clarity.

Yes. We're based in Cape Town but serve businesses across South Africa. Most of our work — diagnostics, process design, compliance frameworks, and system implementation — can be delivered remotely or through a combination of on-site and remote engagement. The diagnostic session itself can be conducted via video call if that's more practical for your team.

We're tool-agnostic — we work with whatever your business already uses or needs. That includes Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Xero, Sage, various CRM platforms, project management tools, and custom integrations. For automation, we build with tools like n8n, Make, and custom-coded solutions depending on the complexity. We don't push a specific platform — we build around your reality.