When you hire a business systems consultant, the first month should leave you with three things: a clear picture of what is actually going wrong, a fixed quote for the first piece of work, and that first piece either under way or delivered. With Kenomont, the first 30 days usually run like this: a free initial chat; an optional $5,000 Process & Systems Audit if the problem isn't clear yet; a fixed quote for one small, defined piece of work; and then that work, with a short check-in each week. You can stop after any step, and anything you get from a step is yours. This article sets out each step honestly, including what we need from you and what we can't promise. The timing is a guide, not a commitment. It depends on your availability, your systems and how much the data needs tidying.
Many people read about us for weeks or months before they get in touch. That's sensible. This post is for that stage: so you know what happens if you do.
Step 1: the free initial chat
The first step is a free initial chat: a no-obligation conversation, usually about 30 minutes, about your systems and what you're trying to fix. You can book it through our contact page, call 1300 470 091 or email [email protected].
What we'll ask about:
- what's going wrong, in your words: re-keying, chasing, a slow month-end, numbers nobody trusts;
- which systems and key spreadsheets are involved;
- who does the work now, and who decides;
- what "fixed" would look like for you.
What you get from it: an honest view of whether we can help. If the answer is a setting in software you already own, a low-cost tool you can set up yourselves, or a different kind of provider, we'll say so. The chat doesn't come with a report or a written assessment; it's a conversation.
After the chat, one of three things happens. The problem and the systems are clear, so we can scope and quote the work. Or the problem is real but it isn't clear yet what to fix first, so we suggest the audit. Or we're not the right fit, and we tell you.
Step 2 (optional): the Process & Systems Audit
The Process & Systems Audit is for when you know something is wrong but not exactly what, or where to start. It has a fixed price of $5,000 that is set before we begin.
How it runs:
- Booking. We confirm within 1 business day and schedule the session. No payment is required until the session is scheduled.
- A 2-hour discovery session over video. With you and the people who do the day-to-day work, such as someone from operations and someone from accounts. We walk through your key processes: who does what, which systems and spreadsheets are involved, and where work waits or gets retyped.
- A written report. A Systems Integration Report of 10 to 15 pages, typically within 5 to 7 business days. It maps your key processes and systems, shows where information gets retyped or stuck, and gives three quick wins and a prioritised plan.
- A measured baseline. We count a few things from your own records and your team's estimates, such as how long it takes to get from a finished job to an invoice, so any later change can be measured rather than guessed.
- A 30-minute walkthrough call to go through the findings.
The report is yours. You can act on it yourselves, give it to someone else, or ask us to quote the next step. You don't need the audit if the problem and the systems are already clear.
Step 3: a fixed quote for one small piece of work
Next, we scope one defined piece of work and give you a fixed quote. The scope says which systems are involved, which steps change, and what "done" means, for example "supplier bills arrive in the accounts matched to the purchase order, ready to approve". The price is agreed before work starts and doesn't change unless you ask to change the scope. If you do, we quote the change in writing first.
We recommend starting small. The first piece is usually one workflow that crosses your systems and causes the most re-keying or chasing: a job becoming an invoice, an order becoming a delivery, a timesheet becoming a pay run. Our First Workflow Sprint is built for this. Sprints typically take 2 to 6 weeks, depending on how many systems the workflow touches and how much data needs tidying first. If you go ahead with a sprint after the audit, part of the audit fee comes off the sprint.
Other first pieces can be smaller still, such as a half-day process mapping session for one process the team can't agree on. Our ways to work with us page lists every option.
Step 4: the first piece of work
Once the quote is accepted, the work starts. What you can expect:
- We map the workflow as it really runs, with the people who do it, not as the procedure manual says it runs.
- A short check-in each week, so you see progress and nothing is a surprise.
- Testing with your team on real examples, including the messy ones, before anything goes live.
- A written SOP (standard operating procedure: a plain-English description of how the task is now done), so the new way of working doesn't live in one person's head.
- Handover you own. Everything we build sits in your accounts and is documented. There's no lock-in and no ongoing licence from us.
Depending on the size of the piece and the timeframe agreed in the quote, it may be finished inside the first 30 days or still under way. Either way, you'll know where it stands each week.
What we need from you
The work goes faster when:
- one person can answer questions and make decisions;
- we can get access to the systems involved early;
- the people who do the work can spare time for the mapping session and for testing;
- you share a few real examples of the task, including one that went wrong.
What we won't promise
We won't promise a percentage saving or a number of hours back, because every business is different and we won't quote a number we can't stand behind. What we do instead is count the baseline before we start and, after a sprint, come back 60 to 90 days later to count again, so you see your own before and after.
We also won't sell you software. We don't resell products, so we have no reason to recommend more than you need.
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to do the audit before any work?
No. If the problem and the systems are clear from the free initial chat, we can scope and quote the work directly. The audit is for when you're not sure where the problem is or what to fix first.
How long until we see something working?
It depends on the piece of work and your systems. A First Workflow Sprint typically takes 2 to 6 weeks, with the timeframe agreed in the quote. We'd rather agree a realistic date than promise a fast one.
Can we stop after the audit?
Yes. The report is yours, and there's no obligation to use us for the fixes. Some businesses do the quick wins themselves.
Who will we be working with?
Kenomont, founded by Aaron Chambers, with 20+ years of experience in business systems and data. We work with businesses across Australia remotely, over video, and travel when a project needs it.
Is there a contract that locks us in?
No. Each piece of work is quoted and agreed on its own. Everything we build is yours, in your accounts, and documented.
If you've been reading for a while and want to talk through your situation, book a free initial chat. There's no obligation, and if we're not the right fit we'll say so.