Phoenix Advantage   "Management & Technology Consulting"

Business Assessments   Business assessments are a high-level analysis of a company's operations and its supporting informational technology. Phoenix Advantage has worked with Wall Street investment companies to develop a service for quickly and accurately assessing current and future operational performance. We offer this service to a variety of clients interested in acquisitions, mergers, minority investments, or identifying opportunities for their own improvement. A business assessment normally involves three areas.  Analysis of core business processes. The audit reviews all the major non-financial processes associated with the business. In the financial area, it covers closing of the general ledgers, efficiency of payables and receivables, and accuracy of key operating costs and inventory balances. The analysis estimates potential improvements, the cost to attain them, and the organization's capability to implement the changes.  Analysis of the supporting information technology. This examines the status and capabilities of the current infrastructure. The review covers hardware, software, and personnel. It provides an estimate of the cost for adjusting the infrastructure to support the current business model as well as any proposed changes.  Evaluation of strategic alternatives. The assessment outlines possible alternatives for improving performance. It provides an evaluation of the benefits, costs, difficulties, and time required for each alternative. Where appropriate, there is a discussion of how the alternatives align with the long-term strategy of the company or investor.  If your company is considering an acquisition or investment, Phoenix Advantage provides the operational and technical perspective to augment the financial analysis associated with a traditional due-diligence. We can assess the capabilities, difficulties, and costs required to achieve the changes identified by financial analysis, and uncover additional opportunities that are not reflected in the historical data. For companies looking to improve their performance, their position in the marketplace, or their competitive advantage, Phoenix Advantage provides a quick, accurate, independent assessment on how to achieve the goal. We also provide the analysis to align the information technology to support the necessary operational changes.   A Typical Engagement: Business assessments are consists of four phases.  Pre-Review. Phoenix Advantage prepares for the review by familiarizing itself with the company and its business environment. When dealing with acquisitions, mergers, and investments, this involves reviewing financial documents, management briefings, and investor information. For internal reviews, this usually involves a one or two day meeting with leadership plus a review of relevant internal documents. In both cases, we supplement the information received with our own analysis of competition and industry conditions.  Assessment. This is a series of meetings, normally conducted during one visit. The meetings involve the leadership of the core business processes, and the leadership of information technology. The pace and depth of analysis is similar to a due-diligence study.  Analysis. Phoenix Advantage spends several days analyzing the information gathered during the Pre-Review and Assessment Phases. Additional questions and clarifications may be required. The analysis summarizes the collected information into a set of observations and recommendations for the client.  Report. Lastly, we meet with the client to review the conclusions and assist with a plan of action based on the client's strategic objectives. Discussions include long-term and short-term benefits, cash flow implications, alignment with long-term strategy, and any difficulties that need to be addressed. Clients have found this service to be of significant value. Several investors have formed partnerships with Phoenix Advantage to perform business assessments before proceeding with acquisitions or minority investments. If you are interested in having an audit performed, or would like to know how they can be of benefit to you, please contact us.