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MIST Consultancy

Operational assessment and improvement

We understand the operations.Let MIST improve your Business.

We examine how your business operates and identify operational inefficiencies, develop practical solutions and implement improvements that make a measurable difference.

Contact MIST See how we can help you

What we do

We help businesses understand how their operations work, identify where time, money and resources are being lost, and make practical improvements.

Our work combines operational analysis, process improvement, technology and automation where appropriate, and implementation support. We are an independent consultancy, not a software vendor, and we do more than identify problems. We work towards solving them.

Starting in transport and logistics.

With an approach designed to work for any operations-led business.

  1. Transport and fleet operations
  2. Logistics
  3. Warehousing
  4. Distribution
  5. Any operations-led business

Where time, money and capacity get lost.

Some of what we look for when we map how work really moves.

  • The same details, keyed again and again.

    Re-keying, document handling and repetitive admin work between systems.

    Job sheetSystemSpreadsheetSame job. Entered three times.

  • Delivered, but not yet invoiced.

    Proof of delivery, job-to-invoice, billing accuracy and cash timing.

    Waiting on paperworkDeliveredProof of deliveryInvoiceThe work is done. The invoice is not.

  • Vehicles running empty.

    Fleet utilisation, vehicle availability, empty running and cost allocation.

    Vehicle 1Vehicle 2LadenEmpty

  • One KPI, three answers.

    KPI definitions, data quality and the reports that decisions rely on.

    On-time deliveryDepotFinanceCustomer

  • It all runs through one person.

    Roles, ownership, capacity and key-person dependency.

    PlanningDispatchDriversCustomersFinanceSuppliersOne person

Three connected stages.

We do more than identify problems. We work towards solving them. Scroll to follow one workflow through all three stages.

SpreadsheetEmailOrderPlanDispatchDeliverProof of deliveryInvoiceKeyed twiceWaiting on paperworkDisputedSimplest workable flowReview againstobjectivesAgreed measures

Illustrative example: a job-to-invoice workflow.

Understand

We examine your operation models, analyze work flows, examine records and systems, all to provide comprehensive baselines where our findings allow.

Our assessments can be commissioned on its own.

Improve

We design practical changes to your businesses processes, controls, responsibilities, reporting, systems and technology. Your solutions are not just implemetations of technology for its own sake, its catered to your brand and active work processes.

We recommend the simplest workable solution for the problem, which can include automation and AI where they fit.

Implement

We work directly with you to help implement agreed upon changes. Our assistance in implementation is tailored to your business.

Solution design and implementation are agreed as separately scoped work.

How an engagement works

From first conversation to client report

How an engagement works

  1. 1Understand the business: agree objectives, sites, time period, workflows and exclusions.
  2. 2Select the areas to assess that are relevant to your operation.
  3. 3Run discovery sessions, map how work actually moves, and collect evidence.
  4. 4Validate sources and establish baselines.
  5. 5Record findings with clear evidence references, and score the areas that were assessed.
  6. 6Deliver a client report.
  7. 7Optional: if you want help fixing the issues, agree a separate scope for solution design or implementation, with objectives, responsibilities, deliverables, fees and acceptance criteria.
Read more about our approach

Our services.

Engage us for an assessment alone, or for a wider engagement covering solution design and implementation.

Stage: Understand

Operational Assessments

Evidence-based findings and prioritised recommendations on how your operation performs today.

  • Review existing operational processes and workflows.
  • Identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies and unnecessary costs.
  • Examine administrative processes and information flow.
  • Assess fleet and transport operations.
  • Review relevant operational KPIs and reporting.
  • Produce evidence-based findings and prioritised recommendations.
More on our services page

Stage: Improve

Process & Operational Improvement

Redesigned workflows, stronger controls and less repetitive administration.

  • Redesign inefficient workflows.
  • Improve internal procedures and operational controls.
  • Reduce repetitive administrative work.
  • Improve communication and information flow between departments.
  • Improve resource utilisation and operational coordination.
More on our services page

Stage: Improve and Implement

Technology, Automation & Systems

Better use of existing systems, and automation where it is appropriate.

  • Identify opportunities for appropriate automation.
  • Recommend improvements to existing software and systems.
  • Explore system integrations and better information management.
  • Help design solutions that reduce manual work and improve accuracy.
  • Coordinate specialist technical development where required.
More on our services page

Stage: Implement

Implementation & Ongoing Support

Support introducing agreed changes and monitoring agreed performance measures.

  • Support the introduction of agreed operational changes.
  • Coordinate implementation projects.
  • Work with external technical specialists where necessary.
  • Monitor agreed performance measures.
  • Provide ongoing operational improvement support where appropriate.
More on our services page

Structured. Consistent. Grounded in evidence.

MOAT, the MIST Operations Assessment Toolkit, is behind every assessment. It gives you a clear picture of how your operation really performs and where to focus first.

connected stages
3
steps from discovery to review
5
areas we can assess
10
scoring, only where the evidence supports it
1–5
See how MOAT works

Why businesses work with MIST.

  1. Independent

    We are a consultancy, not a software vendor. Our recommendations are not tied to a product.

  2. Evidence before assumptions

    We separate verified measurements, direct observation, client statements and assumptions, so you can see what each finding rests on.

  3. Practical first

    We recommend the simplest workable solution for the problem, not technology for its own sake.

  4. Beyond the report

    We do not have to stop at findings. Where you want us to, we design the changes and help put them into practice.

  5. Focused on processes

    We assess processes, not individual employees or isolated incidents.

  6. Straight about results

    We don’t promise savings or outcomes we can’t support.

Start with a conversation.

Tell us where you think time, money or capacity is being lost. We will start by understanding your business and what you want to achieve.

Arrange an initial conversation