Implementation support is the part of consulting where recommendations become finished work. Many plans fail not because they were wrong but because the daily business crowds them out. On a monthly retainer, we chair a steering meeting, keep the milestone tracker, remove blockers between meetings and report in writing, until the changes are simply how the business runs.
What it is
Implementation support gives the plan an owner outside the daily pressure. Each month includes:
- A steering meeting with the owner and the people leading each workstream, held online by video call or in person.
- A milestone tracker listing every action, its owner, its due date and its status.
- Between-meeting support by phone, text and email when a decision or a problem would otherwise wait a month.
- A written monthly update: what was completed, what slipped and why, and decisions made.
- Measure review against the starting values recorded in the diagnostic or project.
Who it is for
This retainer suits owners who have a plan (from our business diagnostic, one of our projects, or another adviser) and know their team will not finish it alone while running the business. It is especially useful when changes cross departments, for example a new process that also changes roles and the cash forecast.
What's included
- Setup: converting the plan into a tracker with owners, dates and measures.
- Monthly steering meeting with a fixed agenda: measures, milestones, blockers, decisions.
- Workstream check-ins with leads between meetings, as the retainer level allows.
- Problem-solving on blocked items: re-scoping, re-sequencing or escalating to the owner.
- Written update after each steering meeting.
- Stage review every 90 days: what is done, what is next, and whether the retainer is still needed.
A worked example of why steering pays
Suppose a diagnostic finds three changes worth a combined $180,000 a year: faster collections, a rework reduction and repricing one service line. If they are completed in six months instead of eighteen, the business captures the benefit a year earlier, roughly $180,000 in additional value in that first year.
A retainer at the lower end of the range, $2,500 a month for six months, costs $15,000 plus tax. The comparison is not the retainer against nothing; it is the retainer against a year of delay. The cash flow forecast guide shows how to track the cash effect week by week.
What a steering agenda looks like
Every meeting follows the same five items, in the same order, so it never turns into a status chat: measures first (are the numbers moving?), then milestones due since the last meeting, then anything blocked, then decisions the owner must make today, then the three or four commitments for next month. Keeping the order fixed means a 60-minute meeting stays at 60 minutes.
Timeline
Retainers are set up in the first two weeks and usually reviewed every 90 days. Steering meetings are monthly; the time between meetings depends on the retainer level agreed in your proposal.
How results are measured
Two things are measured each month. First, delivery: the share of milestones completed on schedule. Second, effect: the business measures named in the plan, such as days sales outstanding, rework rate, margin by line and owner hours, compared with their starting values. Both appear in the written update so that you can judge whether the retainer is paying for itself.
Mistakes to avoid
- Too many workstreams at once. Two or three in parallel is realistic for most SMBs.
- Meetings without measures. A steering meeting that discusses activity instead of results drifts quickly.
- The owner as the only workstream lead. Spread ownership across managers, or everything waits again.
- No stop date. Define what "done" means for each stage so that support ends when it is no longer needed.
Start here
Text (604) 632-4959 or email Ali@Sedighi.ca with a line about the plan you need to deliver. In the free initial consultation we will discuss whether a retainer, a few hourly sessions or a diagnostic is the right next step, and how the organisation and roles work can support the hand-over.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the projects?
Projects produce analysis and designs. Implementation support is about delivery: making sure the new cash forecast is updated every week, the redesigned process is followed, and the new manager actually uses the decision rights. It runs as a monthly retainer rather than a fixed project.
Can you steer a plan written by someone else?
Yes. We first review the plan for a few hours to check that its priorities and measures are sound, then set up the tracker. If parts of it need rework, we tell you before the retainer starts.
How long do clients usually stay on retainer?
It depends on the plan. Many implementation plans are built around 90-day stages, and the retainer is reviewed at each stage. There is no lock-in; the notice terms are set out in writing in your proposal.
What does it cost?
Retainers run $2,500 to $12,000 a month plus GST/HST based on your province. The level depends on the number of workstreams, how often we meet and how much hands-on work is involved between meetings.