FAQ
Questions we are often asked
What is a Strategic Business Diagnostic?
An independent assessment of how a business is performing, why, and what to do next. Logic in the Numbers examines several years of results to find what is driving profit, cash and growth, where value is being made or lost, and where risk is building before it shows in the results. Initial findings are workshopped with the people who run the business, so the numbers are read in context. The client receives a written report with an overall assessment, the evidence behind each finding, and recommendations in order of priority with the cost of doing nothing, followed by a presentation of findings to management, ownership or the board.
What does an independent business review involve?
The term covers different kinds of work. Banks and restructuring firms use it for reviews of businesses in distress, usually for a lender. Logic in the Numbers does a broader kind: a strategic review commissioned by the business or its board, to understand performance and make better decisions. The business does not need to be in difficulty. Many reviews start with an opportunity that needs testing, or questions about the business that nobody can answer yet.
How is it different from an audit?
An audit checks whether the accounts are correct. A Strategic Business Diagnostic uses those accounts to explain what is driving the business and what to do about it. Logic in the Numbers does not provide audit or assurance.
How is it different from what my accountant does?
Your accountant prepares the accounts, handles tax and compliance, and often advises on structure. Logic in the Numbers does none of those things. It provides an independent strategic view of the business and tests major decisions, and works alongside your accountant.
Do you give financial or investment advice?
No. Logic in the Numbers does not advise on financial products or investments and does not arrange finance. It analyses the business and the consequences of decisions that owners or management define. Owners and management make the decisions.
What information do you need?
At least three years of annual statements, ideally five to eight, and recent management reports. The more years available, the clearer the trends. If a decision is being tested, we also need the options you are considering and any business case already prepared. We agree the exact list with you at the start of each engagement.
How long does it take?
Most diagnostics take two to four weeks from receiving the information. Decision & Scenario Analysis usually takes longer, depending on the number of options and how much is already modelled. A firm timeline is set out in the written scope.
What do we receive?
A written report with a clear assessment, the evidence behind each finding and recommendations in order of priority, followed by a presentation of findings to your leadership team or board.
How are fees set?
Fees are fixed and agreed in writing before work starts. The diagnostic is priced by the questions it answers: Clarity (where the business stands) from $3,500 + GST, Direction (adds the forward view and longer-term priorities) from $5,500 + GST, and Group (multi-division groups) from $15,000 + GST. Starting prices apply to smaller, simpler businesses, and fees scale with the size and complexity of the organisation. Decision & Scenario Analysis is quoted for each decision to be tested.
Can you review one division or subsidiary on its own?
Yes, where separate figures are kept for each. Divisions, subsidiaries, sites or product lines can each be assessed separately and compared, so the board can see which parts carry the organisation and which drag on it.
Do you work with charities and not-for-profits?
Yes. The diagnostic is framed in terms that suit a purpose-driven organisation: sustainability of the operating result, dependence on funders, reserves and the capacity to keep delivering services.
Does the business need to be in trouble?
No. A diagnostic is useful when something does not add up, when an opportunity needs testing, when there are unknowns the board wants answered, or when a major decision is coming. A business performing well can use one to see risks before they show in the results.
Can you test a decision before we make it?
Yes. Decision & Scenario Analysis tests each option against a range of outcomes and shows what it does to profit, cash and risk, and what happens if the assumptions are wrong.
Are you based in Australia?
Yes. Logic in the Numbers is an Australian business based in Queensland. Engagements run online or in person, for organisations anywhere in Australia.
Do you work across Australia?
Yes. Logic in the Numbers works with organisations anywhere in Australia. Analysis is done remotely, and workshops and presentations run online or in person.
How do you protect our information?
Information is treated as confidential and used for the purposes of the engagement. Confidentiality arrangements are agreed before sensitive information is shared. Nothing about a client is published without written consent. Personal information is handled under the Logic in the Numbers privacy policy.