Early warning signals

Very few companies implode like a supernova.

The distress signals are visible for some time before the flame out.

Any analysis of a company’s published accounts or even monthly management accounts are by definition “out of date”.

It is vitally important that all counter parties are monitored closely and in “real time”.

In the case of customers look out for unusual ordering patterns, repeated delays in payments – these are early indicators of more serious problems ahead.

For any organisation facing mounting problems it is obvious that the solutions will of necessity be painful. However, radical and decisive surgery is often the only way to ensure a patient’s survival.

Many companies adopt the Mr Micawber attitude that “something will turn up”.

In the overwhelming majority of such cases the only people likely to turn up are the administrators/liquidators.

Be it merely inertia or fear of addressing the issue the outcome will remain the same.