Planning for the future

Spent some time today building up both a current picture of where we are with a client at the moment and also looking at where there may be opportunities for us to assist the client further in their cost management activities.
Using a tool based on a simple matrix I quickly identified, based on my discussions with the client, that we were only seeing about 5% of the potential with this client. Just plotting all our potential cost areas in which we have expertise and comparing that with the current areas under review showed this in a simple format. This simple analysis helps drive our thoughts and in producing a proposal that means something to the client.
Of course there are a number of other things to consider, such as the relevant stakeholder in the client and whether the client sees each individual cost area as a priority, but at least this can now aid a planned approach to the client and help us to agree together what the priorities should be.
Matching our expertise alongside the clients needs is always a moving target and will always be driven as much by our 'gut feel' as by the analysis. We are a relationship business after all.