Tailored solution a better fit than 'cookie cutter'

Russell Bell Photo/File

Wanganui is full of surprises. Some are nice and positive and others ... well, they make you wonder if you have stepped into a disturbance in the space/time continuum.

Fortunately, the positives outweigh the other kind, and last weekend I was treated to a real positive after a night of sparkling conversation down by the river led us to visit a quite remarkable building on Bastia Hill.

Some of you may recall that last year Patchwork Architecture designed and built a stunning house on a small plot of land on Mt View Rd. It was a finalist in the prestigious House of the Year competition. The design was so well thought out and executed that it attracted national attention and exposure.

When you see it for yourself, this is completely justified. This is more than a building, it is special - and more impressive is the back story of its construction and the dedication, sacrifice and effort that created it.

Now, before the aforementioned rip in the fabric of time transforms me into Kevin McCloud (of Grand Designs) and I start blathering on about how the construction blends into its hilly environment like a "chameleon of permanence", I want to make a point about how the right solution for your needs should be specific to your circumstances. In other words, the "cookie cutter" solution is not always best.

In the same way that a kitset home would not have worked on the Bastia site (nor would it have been the best solution or gained positive national results) so too, the "cookie cutter" approach doesn't work with strategic planning for business.

This week I presented a client with an answer to a complex problem and a strategic plan eventuated which took into account their specific needs. Our solution was preferred over a competitor who arrived armed with whizz-bang diagnostics and a long-term contract at, what I thought, was a high cost.

As it happens, the competitor will also present exactly the same solution/approach to a completely different business down the road (for the same fee). The "cookie cutter" approach is the same solution for different circumstances.

Just as you wouldn't build a five-bedroom home if your needs are for three, why then would you pay for a strategic plan over a year when the same work could be completed in a shorter timeframe and not follow a pre-determined approach?

Unfortunately with these "contracted" models, you end up paying for the brand and the privilege of getting bills on their letterhead.

It is so important that, when it comes to strategic advice, that it is fit for purpose and not formulaic. When done correctly and well, like Patchwork Architecture's project, you will produce results which achieve your goals and aspirations.

I can see Kevin McCloud in raptures over Patchwork's work - for it to impress a heathen like me is quite a feat. As for the "cookie cutter" strategic planners, I imagine that he would be asking their clients: "So, in terms of value, how much have you gone over budget?"

Russell Bell's Zenith Solutions is a specialist Wanganui business advice and consultancy practice - 021 2442421.