Breaking the budget? Cost management can help.

Cost management is a systematic and formal review of your business with the goal of reducing costs every step of the way.

This can be especially useful if you find yourself routinely going over budget, but is also useful as a merely preventative tool. The process involves asking yourself many questions about your business, some of which include:

Are we operating efficiently? Cost management can help you clearly differentiate activities that are running smoothly and staying within budget from the ones that are constantly breaking down and consuming extra dollars.

Depending on your industry, there are likely various metrics you can calculate and track to determine which aspects of your operations are inefficient. Sometimes improving efficiency is simply a matter of better scheduling. If you’re constantly missing deadlines or taking too long to fulfill customers’ needs, you’re also probably losing money playing catch-up and placating disappointed buyers.

Can we really see our supply chain? Maybe you’ve bought the same types of materials from the same vendors for many years. Are you really getting the most for your money? A cost management review can help you look for better bargains on the goods and services that make your business run.

A big problem for many businesses is lack of practical data. Without the right information, you may not be fully aware of the key details of your supply chain. There’s a term for this: supply chain visibility. When you can’t “see” everything about the vendors that service your company, you’re much more vulnerable to hidden costs and overspending.

Is technology getting the better of us? At this point, just about every business process has been automated one way or another. But are you managing this technology or is it managing you? Some companies overspend unnecessarily while others miss out on ways to better automate activities. Cost management can help you decide whether to simplify or upgrade.

For example, many businesses have historically taken an ad hoc approach to procuring technology. Different departments or individuals have obtained various software over the years. Some of this technology may still be in regular use but, in many cases, an expensive application sits dormant while the company still pays for licensing or tech support.

Conversely, a paid-for but out-of-date application could be slowing operational or supply chain efficiency. You may have to spend money to save money by getting something that’s up-to-date and fully functional.

Many may know about this technique when analyzing a new project, but it can be equally, if not more, useful when applied to the entire business. If you want help applying cost management to your business, please contact your Rudler, PSC advisor 859-331-1717.

RUDLER'S TAX MANAGEMENT & PLANNING TEAM

This week's Rudler Review is presented by Becca Johnson, Staff Accountant and John Wood, CPA, CVA.

If you would like to discuss your particular tax situation, contact Becca or John at 859-331-1717.

Rudler PSC has established a Tax Management and Planning Team, a group of professionals who specialize in tax services. These highly qualified and experienced tax specialists meet on a regular basis to discuss upcoming client engagements, current issues relating to our clients and regulatory changes. Be sure to receive future Rudler Reviews for advice from our tax experts,  sign up today !

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