Strategic planning Consulting
Make your business more successful and efficient with effective strategic planning.
The success of any SME is most of the time measured by the results it presents at the end of each year. The principle is that objectives are defined from the start. For this, acm-canada, specialist in business management, offers the best strategic planning methods. You can count on our expertise and commitment to your business.
Why do strategic planning?
Well-designed strategic planning provides a clear roadmap for the business. Thus, it facilitates decision-making at all levels. It allows managers to prioritize actions, manage resources effectively and stay focused on defined objectives.
Businesses are often faced with unexpected changes, whether economic, technological or regulatory. Strategic planning makes it possible to anticipate these changes and adapt to them quickly.
Strategic planning helps to define a clear vision for the future of the business.
This is symbolized by the definition of specific objectives for the short, medium and long term periods. This gives meaning to daily action and aligns the efforts of the entire organization towards common goals.
Strategic planning makes it possible to anticipate future challenges and prepare adequate responses, which is essential to ensure the sustainability of the company. By focusing on long-term sustainability, it helps the company remain competitive and thrive despite market turbulence.
What is strategic planning?
This essential process takes place in several key stages. Each helps define, implement, and evaluate the actions necessary to achieve the company’s vision.
The first step in strategic planning is to develop a clear vision and long-term goals. This development phase involves an in-depth analysis of the company’s internal and external environment. Here, we focus much more on:
- the strengths
- the weaknesses
- the opportunities
- and threats.
In other words, it is the application of the SWOT method. It leads to the establishment of a global strategic plan which defines the necessary actions. Its actions help align the company’s resources and capabilities with its ambitions.
Once the plan is established, monitoring is required to ensure that the objectives are on track to be achieved. This involves implementing:
- dashboards;
- key performance indicators (KPIs);
- Regular reporting to monitor the progress of strategic initiatives.
Monitoring allows you to quickly identify gaps between expected results and actual business results.
Communication plays a central role in the success of strategic planning. All levels of the organization must be informed of the strategic objectives and how they contribute to their achievement. Clear and consistent communication strengthens employee engagement. It ensures that everyone understands their role in implementing the strategic plan.
The evaluation makes it possible to measure the effectiveness of the strategic plan once implemented. To do this, you must:
- analysis of the results obtained in relation to the objectives set
- evaluation of the processes used
- and reflection on lessons learned.
This phase is essential. It allows the company to make the necessary adjustments and prepare for the next iteration of the strategic plan.
What does ACM offer ?
Calling on an operational and organizational management consultant from ACM Canada means choosing a partner who fully understands business performance issues. Our experts work in synergy with your business to maximize its added value. We carry out a business diagnosis to identify specific needs and respond to them in a targeted manner.
In management
In finance
In marketing
In human resources
Our team works in synergy to offer personalized solutions that meet the specific needs of each company.
One of the first aspects of the collaboration with ACM is the co-construction of a strategic vision. This vision is not just an ideal projection of the future. It is also a pragmatic guide which directs the company’s actions in the short, medium and long term. ACM helps define this vision by taking into account:
- market realities;
- internal capabilities;
- and aspirations of the organization.
ACM Canada ensures that each strategic plan is anchored in a clearly defined mission, vision and values. These fundamental elements serve as a compass for all strategic and operational decisions. The ACM team works with leaders to articulate these concepts in a way that is inspiring and engaging.
After defining the vision and values, ACM helps transform these elements into a detailed action plan. This plan is structured around objectives:
- specific
- measurable
- attainable
- realistic
- and temporal
In addition to implementing this SMART method, ACM offers you the necessary steps to achieve them. The strategic planning professional also provides practical tools for executing this plan. In this way, it guarantees the support of each initiative, the appropriate resources and skills.
One of ACM Canada’s strengths is its long-term commitment to its customers. Rather than simply delivering a strategic plan, ACM regularly monitors its implementation and offers ongoing support.
Did you know that?
70% of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Quebec have difficulty implementing effective strategic planning. This reality limits their ability to achieve sustainable, long-term growth.
Approximately 55% of SMEs in Canada indicate that the complexity of regulations is a major obstacle to the growth of their business. A reality that complicates strategic planning and achieving a clear vision.
SMEs represent 97.8% of employing companies in Canada, but almost half of them encounter difficulty aligning their human resources with their strategic vision due to labor shortages.
45% of micro-businesses (1 to 4 employees) in Canada do not have plans in place for recruiting, retaining or training their staff. This level compromises their ability to develop a long-term strategic vision.
Management areas related to strategic planning
Strategic planning is a central process that affects several aspects of managing an SME. At ACM, the basic rule of planning is: to achieve ambitious goals, you must integrate that planning into various key areas of management.
The success of a strategy depends largely on a solid sales and marketing orientation. At ACM, we help companies align their marketing and sales efforts with their overall strategic plan. This takes into account:
- the development of market strategies;
- identification of target segments;
- and implementing campaigns that support long-term growth goals.
Human resources are at the heart of the execution of any business strategy. ACM supports its clients in optimizing talent management. This support includes:
- planning staffing needs;
- skills development;
- and performance management.
Operational efficiency is required to turn strategic objectives into reality. ACM helps companies to optimize their operational processes and organizational structure. Thus, they are in perfect alignment with their strategic plan. We focus on process improvement, supply chain management, and internal organization to maximize efficiency and responsiveness.
Rigorous financial management is essential to support the implementation of any strategy. At ACM-Canada, you benefit from financial management around:
- budgeting;
- investment planning;
- and cash flow analysis.
Strategic planning itself is at the heart of our services. ACM supports companies in:
- the definition of their mission;
- the formulation of their vision;
- and establishing their values.
We work closely with our clients to develop a concrete action plan, supported by clear objectives and effective monitoring tools.
Carry out your online diagnosis to explore the strengths and areas for improvement in your financial management.
Sustained support that guides our clients towards achieving their goals.
What our customers say about ACM
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Frequently asked questions about our financial management services
Q1. How to do good strategic planning?
Good strategic planning begins with clearly defining the company’s vision and objectives. It is based on an in-depth analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Q2. What are the 5 steps that allow you to carry out a strategic analysis?
The five steps are:
- define objectives;
- analyze the external environment;
- assess the internal environment;
- develop strategies;
- and implement by ensuring regular monitoring.
Each step helps clarify the strategic direction of the company. The objective is to ensure continuous adaptation to market challenges.
Q3. What are the tools of strategic planning?
Key tools include SWOT analysis, Porter’s five forces model, and the balanced scorecard. These tools help assess the company’s position and track performance. They are essential to guide strategic decisions.
Q4. What are the three types of planning?
The three types are: strategic (long term), tactical (medium term), and operational (short term). Each level of planning ensures consistency and alignment of company actions. Together, they guarantee the achievement of the overall objectives.