Case Studies
Existing Systems. New Solutions.
Taming Mushrooming Spreadsheets
2,820
Hours saved - year 1
Up to $1M
Dollar value recovered
Ongoing
Engagement
Industry
Medical
Contact
Finance Director
Core Issue
Time wasting
Started
2013
Up to $1 million recovered from time wasted inside broken Excel workbooks.
The situation
A major player in the medical industry had let their Excel environment grow unchecked for years. Spreadsheet after spreadsheet — each built in isolation, each a little different, none documented. Staff were spending more time managing the tools than doing the work the tools were supposed to support.
THE STONE IN THE SHOE
Repeated manual tasks that should have been automated. Time-consuming processes with no macros, no structure, no backup. Mission-critical routines sitting in someone’s head — or hardcoded into a formula. One wrong keystroke and nobody would know until it was too late.
WHAT WE DID
No single fix. Each workbook needed its own diagnosis and its own solution — similar in approach, different in execution. In roughly 90% of cases, the answer was to restructure the workbook and introduce automation where the manual work was happening. Whiteboard before keyboard — understand the process first, then build something that actually fits.
The result
In the first year alone: 2,820 hours saved. The dollar value of that time, calculated conservatively, sits between $850,000 and $1 million. But the number that mattered most to the client was this: their team stopped firefighting spreadsheets and started using them to make decisions.
“The benefit is that our team is more engaged and we make better decisions.”
What happened next
Once the team saw what was possible, they brought forward their own ideas. The automation didn’t stop at delivery — it became a mindset.
Analysing Big Data for a $5M Claim
Accepted 100%
Claim outcome
7 figures
Value recovered
2 months
Duration
Industry
Hospital
Contact
Finance Director
Core Issue
Data accuracy
Started
2011
A seven-figure government claim — accepted in full, without a single reduction.
The situation
Every three years, a large public and private hospital in Queensland submits a wages claim to Queensland Health — recovering nurse salary costs from the previous period. It is a complex, high-stakes calculation where the difference between a good model and a great one can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
THE STONE IN THE SHOE
The previous approach was manual, slow, and prone to error. With over one million data records to work through, there was no room for guesswork. The hospital needed a model that was not only accurate — it had to be flexible enough to test different scenarios before committing to a final number.
WHAT WE DID
We evaluated and filtered over one million data records down to the 200,000 that were relevant to the claim. From there, we built a sensitivity model — calculating the initial claim for the current year and forecasting the next two years. Multiple scenarios could be run and compared quickly, giving the Finance Director full visibility of the options before making the final call.
The result
The claim was submitted. Queensland Health accepted it without reduction. The result was a seven-figure recovery that directly funded hospital operations. This is what happens when accurate data meets a model built for the right purpose.
“Jürgen’s modelling skills are outstanding. His ability to build a highly effective, sustainable model for a very complex financial scenario is second to none.”
Systemising a Quotation Process
40%+
Productivity gain
15+ years
System lifespan
Ongoing
Engagement
Industry
Travel
Contact
Owner / Director
Core Issue
Systemise quotes
Started
2011
40% productivity gain across the team — and the system is still running fifteen years later.
The situation
A boutique safari travel agency. Every enquiry they receive is unique — local guides, accommodation, transfers, activities, all assembled from scratch for each customer. The product is tailor-made. The problem was that building each quote was taking far too long.
THE STONE IN THE SHOE
Without a more efficient process, the business could not grow without hiring more staff. Every hour spent assembling a quote manually was an hour not spent on the next client. The complexity that made the product special was also making the operation slow.
WHAT WE DID
The challenge was to preserve the flexibility that makes tailor-made itineraries possible, while building enough structure around it to dramatically reduce the time each quote takes. We built two databases inside Excel: one covering all accommodations and activities at each destination, another covering every operator and transfer option between locations. From there, staff could build complete, accurate quotes in a fraction of the previous time.
The result
Team productivity increased by 40% over the first three years. The system has been in place for over five years and continues to run. That is not a project — that is infrastructure.
“Jürgen has revolutionised the business processes within our workplace making our days far less stressful and way more efficient than before.”
What happened next
Further automation has since been introduced, reducing manual steps in the quotation process even further. The system grows with the business.
Measuring Productivity in Technical Services
75%
Productivity gain
3 weeks
Build time
57% higher
Benchmark increase
Industry
Medical
Contact
MD Technical Service
Core Issue
Job assessment
Started
2016
75% productivity gain in year one — built in three weeks.
The situation
A technical service team of three people managing between 10 and 30 incoming repair requests per day. Jobs varied in type, complexity, and whether they were under warranty or chargeable. The manager needed to evaluate team productivity fairly — but no two days looked the same.
THE STONE IN THE SHOE
How do you measure productivity when the work changes every hour? The existing approach gave no visibility and no consistency. Without a fair system, accountability was impossible and improvement had no baseline to measure against.
WHAT WE DID
We created an Excel interface with approximately 35 buttons — each representing a specific task type performed by the team, including meetings, calls, and leave. One click logs the task, adds it to the tally, and allocates the correct point value for the day. A separate master view gives the manager a live, at-a-glance picture of how each team member is performing in points, time, and dollars invoiced.
The result
Productivity across the team went up by 75% in the first year. The benchmark has since been raised twice. The current personal benchmark sits 57% higher than when the system was first introduced — meaning the team is not just more productive, they are continuously raising the bar.
“This is what Jürgen does, he finds you a solution that works — brilliant!”
What happened next
The number of buttons has been refined over time as the team’s work evolved. The system adapted with them.
Interactive Dashboard for Big Data
+4 days/mth
Time recovered
5 days -> <1 day
Reporting time
3 months
Dura tion
Industry
White Goods
Contact
Finance Director
Core Issue
Time wasting
Started
2015
Five days of monthly report preparation reduced to less than one.
The situation
A globally operating white goods manufacturer selling across multiple channels throughout Australia and New Zealand. Every month, sales data by channel, product group, state, and period needed to be downloaded, formatted, and compiled into reports for the sales team. The Finance Director was the bottleneck — and the sales team were always waiting.
THE STONE IN THE SHOE
The monthly report cycle was consuming five full working days. While the Finance Director was buried in data preparation, the sales team was asking for updates that didn’t exist yet. Accuracy suffered under time pressure. Transparency was low.
WHAT WE DID
We built a flexible, interactive dialog screen where the sales team could focus their view on any combination of channel, product group, state, and month — without involving the Finance Director at all. The key was structuring the incoming data correctly once, so that every subsequent report was generated automatically.
The result
Report preparation time dropped from five days per month to less than one. The sales team gained direct access to accurate, current data. Transparency improved across the board — and the Finance Director got four working days back every month.
“The feedback and acceptance from the sales team have been very good. They are thrilled.”
What happened next
The sales team now maintain the dialog screens themselves when products, categories, or channels change. The system is self-sufficient.
Steering 7 Businesses as One
100%
Transparency
7
Separate Entities Managed
6+ years
Engagement
Industry
Whole sales
Contact
Owner / MD
Core Issue
Steering the business
Started
1986
One A4 page. Seven companies. Full visibility — the cornerstone of a successful exit.
The situation
A wholesale paper business in Germany — an amalgamation of seven independent companies spread across the country. Some of their customers were major manufacturers requiring paper for high-volume print runs. The newly formed group needed to act as one business, not seven. The directors needed a single view of everything.
THE STONE IN THE SHOE
With over a thousand products and multiple sales channels across seven subsidiaries, the leadership team had no simple way to see how the combined business was tracking. Decisions were slow. The connection between what was happening at ground level and what the directors could see at the top was broken.
WHAT WE DID
We built a model that grouped all products into 20 categories. For each category, the model showed budget, actuals, variance, and the last twelve months — broken down by subsidiary and aggregated across the whole group. Management by exception meant the directors could immediately identify what needed attention and drill down to product and region when required. One page. Total clarity.
The result
The productivity of the leadership team improved dramatically. With full visibility across all seven entities, the directors could steer with confidence. The company was sold to a European competitor in 2000 — at a profit. It continues to operate successfully in Germany today.
“Your model is the cornerstone of our success as a union.”
Managing Productivity in Warehouses
>25%
Productivity gain
Dramatically reduced
Casual workers
4 months
Duration
Industry
Medical
Contact
Warehouse Manager
Core Issue
Measuring Productivity
Started
2014
25%+ productivity improvement — and two new hires made possible by the data.
The situation
A medical business operating several warehouses across multiple states. The logistics were complex — some inventory issued on commission or lending basis, long distances to cover within each warehouse, and a structure that made measuring individual performance difficult. The business was managing overtime pressure by hiring temporary workers rather than understanding and fixing the underlying productivity issue.
THE STONE IN THE SHOE
Nobody could see what was actually happening in the warehouses. Without visibility, there was no accountability. Without accountability, there was no way to know whether adding temporary staff was solving the problem or masking it. The manager needed data — live, comparable, and easy to capture without disrupting the workflow.
WHAT WE DID
We built a system with pre-defined task buttons that staff could click without stopping their work. The data fed into a live dashboard showing individual productivity, team comparisons within each warehouse, and cross-warehouse comparisons. The manager could see everything — in real time, without asking anyone.
The result
Productivity in the warehouses increased dramatically. With the data finally visible, the business was able to reorganise responsibilities, restructure the warehouses, and make two informed permanent hires — while significantly reducing the number of casual workers. The insight drove the decision. The decision improved the business.
“This is a game-changer for us in the business.”
What happened next
The system gave leadership the confidence to make structural changes they had been unable to justify before. The data made the case.
Automating Bonus Forms
Achieved
Process compliance
Restored
Staff satisfaction
300+
Staff covered
Industry
HR - Medical
Contact
HR Director
Core Issue
Slow process
Started
2014
Bonus reviews delivered in January — as they should always have been.
The situation
A large international company with over 300 staff in their Sydney headquarters. Part of every employee’s remuneration is a bonus — ranging from 10% to 40% of their annual income. That is a significant amount for each person. The process for preparing and distributing individual bonus forms was almost entirely manual.
THE STONE IN THE SHOE
One year, the bonus forms arrived on employees’ desks in late April. January is when bonus reviews should happen — it is not a target, it is the expectation. Being four months late is not a process problem. It is a compliance failure and a staff satisfaction problem. Every employee waiting on a form that affects their income knows exactly how late it is.
WHAT WE DID
We built a system where HR maintains a single list of all employees, their managers, and their KPIs. From this list and a separate template, individual bonus forms are generated automatically — already addressed to the right manager, already populated with the relevant data, already bundled by team. HR no longer assembles forms. They maintain a list.
The result
Bonus reviews are now delivered in the first three weeks of January — every year, without exception. The process runs as it was always supposed to. Staff receive their bonus information when it matters. Managers can have the right conversations at the right time. Compliance is met. Trust is maintained. That is the real result — not a time saving, but a process that finally works.
“The overall acceptance by the manager and each employee is fantastic.”
What happened next
The system handles mid-year changes automatically — new staff can be added throughout the year, and employees who change roles receive two pro-rata forms without any additional manual work.