What this looks like in practice
The details are always different. The causes rarely are.
The businesses below were each facing a different kind of pressure. What they had in common was that the real problem wasn’t the one that looked most urgent, and that fixing it properly required starting with the customer experience and working back from there.
These are three representative examples.
Lamp: From firefighting to control
When I stepped in, the business was losing contracts, losing income, and losing confidence. Everyone was busy. Very little felt under control.
We started where we always start: with what customers and partners were actually experiencing. Missed expectations. Inconsistent delivery. Problems being noticed too late to prevent the damage.
That exposed the real issues. Work not being delivered as promised. Priorities that weren’t clear. Leaders finding out about problems after they had already escalated.
Fixing those things led to a 25% increase in revenue, restored confidence with the organisations paying for the service, and a calmer operation with clearer ownership and fewer surprises.
Starting with customer experience wasn’t an add-on. It was how control was restored.
“Richard gets to the heart of issues quickly. He combines determination with empathy, and leads change in a way that people trust. He is both highly effective and grounded, and working with him left the organisation stronger and more confident about the future.” Sarah Higgins, Board Member, Lamp
COPS: When different people experience different organisations
This business wasn’t struggling because people didn’t care or weren’t capable. It was struggling because different groups were experiencing entirely different versions of the same organisation.
Customers, staff, partners, and stakeholders all had conflicting views of what the business was for and how it behaved. That confusion fuelled conflict, duplicated effort, and steadily eroded confidence from the people whose support the business depended on most.
The turnaround began by putting those experiences side by side, naming the gaps honestly, and rebuilding purpose, structure, and income around a shared understanding of what the organisation actually existed to do.
The results: total income increased by two thirds. Long-standing tensions eased. The business regained stability and credibility with the partners it most needed to keep.
If people can’t describe the same organisation, it won’t hold together for long.
“Richard brought clear direction at a time when the organisation needed it most. He listened carefully to different and often opposing views, helped the organisation regain focus, and enabled it to grow in confidence and stability. His ability to make sense of complex situations and move things forward made a real difference.” Rob Atkin MBE, Board Member, COPS
Willow: Better customer experience. Lower cost.
Willow was under pressure. Demand was rising, income was falling, and competition was increasing. Decisions were being made on instinct and habit, often with good intentions but poor results.
We reset the business by getting specific about what a good customer experience actually looked like, using real data rather than assumption. The work then focused on changing how experiences were planned, delivered, and paid for.
The outcome surprised people. More consistent, higher quality experiences. Stronger relationships with key partners. Increased confidence from the organisations funding the service. And lower overall costs, not higher.
Focusing on customer experience didn’t add complexity. It removed waste and guesswork.
“Richard provided stability, integrity, and clear strategic and operational direction during a period of significant volatility. He led change with empathy, strengthened relationships across the organisation, and left it in much better shape than when he found it.” Richard King, Chairman, Willow
The common pattern
Different businesses. Different pressures. The same problem underneath.
When customer experience is vague, everything else becomes harder. Delivery, cost control, leadership, and growth all suffer.
When it’s clear and taken seriously, businesses regain control. The firefighting reduces. Progress becomes less dependent on the owner holding everything together.
That’s what this work does. In every case, in every business, it starts in the same place.