How Cornwall Environmental Consultants Achieved 50% Growth and 10x Profit Increase

Client: Cornwall Environmental Consultants

Services: Growth Kickstarter, Growth Supercharger

The Client

Cornwall Environmental Consultants, based near Truro, has been supporting responsible development for over 30 years. Their passionate team of offers comprehensive ecology and landscape consultancy under one roof, ensuring high-quality outcomes for clients. As a fully-owned subsidiary of Cornwall Wildlife Trust, they're uniquely positioned to help clients achieve their aims while protecting nature. Over the past three decades, their work has enabled them to contribute over £1.6 million to the Trust, directly supporting Cornwall's natural spaces and wildlife.

The Challenge

Cornwall Environmental Consultants (CEC) approached The Value Engine with a pressing challenge: their profitability was inconsistent despite a strong sales history. The newly appointed Managing Director aimed to preserve CEC's technical expertise while enhancing its market presence and operational efficiency to ensure steady, growing profits. This goal demanded a strategic overhaul, focusing on refining service offerings, strengthening market position, and streamlining business operations to achieve sustainable growth and consistent profitability.

The Value Engine - Cornwall Environmental Consultants

Insights

Broad Capabilities Blur The Focus

The Value Engine's analysis revealed that while CEC's team possessed in-depth experience and excellent products, they needed to cater to a vast array of clients with diverse needs. This broad approach was diluting their message and effectiveness. The toolkit was impressive—from ecological surveys to landscape and visual impact assessments. However, CEC showcased its tools without explaining which problems they solved. A developer seeking planning permission and a homeowner worried about protected species in their roof had very different needs, yet CEC's approach didn't clearly show this. This one-size-fits-all strategy left potential clients wondering how CEC's expertise could help them. Additionally, the lack of focus hindered operational efficiency.

Today's Success Demands all The Hours

CEC found itself in a common situation for thriving consultancies. The company's success and growing client base demanded constant attention, leaving little room for strategic planning. Natasha, the Managing Director, was deeply involved in daily operations, ensuring high-quality service but limiting her ability to focus on long-term growth. While this hands-on approach had driven CEC's recent success, both Natasha and the team recognised the need to evolve. The business was ready to move beyond the constraints of its current structure and leverage its expertise more strategically, allowing for sustainable growth.

The Solution

Product-Centric To Customer-Focused

Working with The Value Engine, CEC experienced a eureka moment: focus on three key customer groups—householders, developers, and big infrastructure projects. It was time to transform from a Swiss Army knife into a set of finely-tuned, specialised tools. By tailoring their offerings to these specific groups, CEC could now speak their customers' language fluently and tackle their real-world challenges head-on. The result? A crystal-clear message and bespoke solutions.

Building the Leadership Team

CEC recognised the need to build a leadership team to drive three business areas: household, developer, and infrastructure. They defined specific leadership roles and assigned key areas to senior team members that were aligned with the company's values. They established a rhythm of annual goal-setting, quarterly reviews, and monthly check-ins to keep everyone aligned. This framework of clear responsibilities and regular evaluations enabled the team to navigate their growth journey, adjusting course as needed

Leveraging Technology for Optimisation & Growth

CEC partnered with The Value Engine to focus their energy where it mattered most for clients. By implementing online quoting tools and streamlining processes, CEC achieved remarkable results. This led to six-figure online sales from the newly launched online offering, improved efficiency, and enhanced customer experience. Automating routine tasks also enabled ecologists to spend more time in the field, boosting job satisfaction and profit margins. This strategic shift created a win-win situation, benefiting clients, employees, and the company's bottom line

The Results

Since the appointment of the new MD & working with The Value Engine, CEC has experienced strong sales and profit growth, not on transforming the business but building a solid foundation for further development.

“Working with The Value Engine has been a great experience for us. Ben has taken the time to understand our business and customers, giving us both insight into what to do and expertise to get it done. We really valued Ben’s listening ear, the structured tools and approach, and his ability to see the heart of the issue and recommend pragmatic solutions. He helped us understand both the challenge at hand and the best solutions. In addition, he’s been a trusted friend and advisor, helping us through tricky situations and being a part of our growth story. I highly recommend The Value Engine.”