The work is bespoke. Most of the hours are not.

Service firms defend customisation they have never measured, and the delivery record usually shows the variation sits in a much smaller place than anyone assumed.

By Steve 5 min read
Abstract bridge artwork for The work is bespoke. Most of the hours are not.

Ask the owner of a professional services firm, a specialist installer or an agency whether their work can be standardised, and the answer is almost always some version of no: every client is different, every site is different, every brief is different. It is said with conviction, and it is rarely tested. What makes it interesting is that the delivery record, timesheets, job files, project logs, even a rough reconstruction from memory, tends to tell a different story. Not that the work is identical, but that the variation is concentrated.…

Keep reading for free

Create an account to read the rest.

The whole library is free. No card, no subscription, no trial that quietly ends. An account simply lets us know who we are writing for, and opens every article from here on.

  • Every article, in full, at no cost
  • New articles published every weekday
  • Takes about twenty seconds
Create a free account I already have one

Free means free. We will not charge you for the library, and you can read as much of it as you like.

Important: General information only. Rialto Bridge articles describe patterns and considerations that may apply to a business; they are not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice, and they take no account of your particular circumstances. Consider your own situation and seek advice from a qualified professional before acting.

More on Operations

Scroll to Top