Where could the money you already spend work harder?
Free · 60 minutes · online · written assessment within three working days · with Michael Williamson
Discover where AI could improve commercial performance and whether a more detailed investigation is justified. A free 60-minute executive discussion, followed by a concise written assessment.
For mid-market mobile operators, multi-site retailers and membership organisations. Depending on what we find, the recommendation may be to proceed, investigate further, wait or not invest.
More value from what you spend on retention, promotions and renewals.
Keep the customers worth keeping, at the right cost.
Churn, retention incentives and the cost of replacing lost customers all affect profitability. We can explore where different commercial decisions could improve future customer contribution.
We may open with: “Where are you losing more value: churn, under-monetised customers or cost to serve?”
Keep the sales. Protect the margin.
Promotions can increase sales while reducing contribution. We can explore where changes to promotional investment decisions could improve margin across stores, channels and categories.
We may open with: “Which of your promotions actually made money, and how do you know?”
Create more member value. Retain more members.
Renewal shows whether members still see value, and many membership bodies are mission-led or not-for-profit. We can explore where changes to engagement and renewal decisions could create more member value and more sustainable income.
We may open with: “How many members lapse at their first renewal, and what does each renewal sustain?”
We can also discuss growth questions in each sector — Mobile Acquisition & Growth Economics, Retail Customer Growth & Profitability and Membership Growth & Revenue Economics — and other material commercial opportunities where Formalus has the relevant operating expertise. See the industries and sizes where we fit best →
Three questions we answer together in the conversation.
What financial result needs to improve?
Customer contribution, trading margin, member renewal, operating cost or another material commercial outcome. We start with what matters to your leadership team.
Where might changing the work improve it?
Which decisions, processes and responsibilities influence that result, and where AI might strengthen the improvement.
Is there a case for investigating further?
Whether the opportunity warrants a Phase 1 Value Focus day, more evidence, a later discussion or no further investment.
Along the way, we flag any data, identity or security constraint that could stop an opportunity, so nothing promising stalls later on access, governance or cost.
A concise written assessment, and an honest recommendation.
Within three working days you receive a one-page written assessment. You keep it whether you take a next step or not.
The opportunity hypothesis
The commercial result at stake, and where changing the work and AI might improve it.
The likely scope and the evidence gaps
Which journey a Value Map would cover, and what evidence is missing today.
An indicative view of value at stake
A first, clearly labelled estimate of what is at stake, drawn from your sector and public information. Indicative, not a financial analysis: Value Focus then measures it with your own figures.
A clear recommendation
Proceed to a Phase 1 Value Focus day, gather more evidence, wait or do not proceed.
An initial commercial conversation, not the paid transformation work.
No validated business case or quantified return. No process redesign or detailed process maps. No technical solution design or implementation plan.
Those require proper discovery inside your organisation. The assessment establishes whether that work is justified.
The person accountable for the commercial outcome should attend. That may be the CEO, Managing Director, CFO, Chief Commercial Officer or another executive who can sponsor the next decision.
For mobile operators, that may be the executive responsible for customer profitability. For multi-site retail, the executive responsible for trading contribution or margin. For membership organisations, the executive responsible for membership, renewal or income.
One or two additional colleagues are welcome where they bring relevant finance, operations or technology expertise.
Pick a time that suits.
Free, online and 60 minutes. A direct conversation about the commercial outcome you want to improve and whether further work would be worthwhile.
Free AI Opportunity Assessment
60 minutes · online · free
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michael@formalus.comRead by Michael directly. Answered within one working day.
What happens after you book
You get a calendar invitation with the video link and a short questionnaire, about ten minutes: the result you want to improve, who owns it, your current systems, what data is available and any technology decision already under way. We review public information beforehand and arrive with two or three hypotheses. Within three working days of the session you receive the written assessment.
Who should be on the call
The executive accountable for the commercial outcome, plus one or two colleagues where they add finance, operations or technology expertise.
A conversation with an operator, not an AI readiness checklist.
Michael Williamson has used machine learning to run the business, with the P&L on the line: predictive churn models and personalised retention offers at O2, churn scoring at Vodafone, machine-learning promotions and pricing at Staples, and machine-learning credit and fraud risk decisioning at Equifax. The conversation starts with how your sector makes money, not with a list of AI tools. Unlike a vendor’s readiness assessment, it starts with your commercial result rather than your technology, and there is no software or implementation to sell you afterwards.
Relevant sector economics
We bring an informed view of customer contribution, retention economics, trading margin or member renewal, as appropriate to your organisation.
Your organisation’s reality
You explain where your operating model, costs, priorities or constraints differ from that starting view.
An initial commercial recommendation
We identify what deserves further investigation and what evidence would be needed to establish a credible case.
A sector view is a starting hypothesis, not a fact about your organisation. The conversation is where it gets tested. Formalus does not sell software, licences or implementation, so any recommendation follows your commercial result: the technology you need, when you need it.
“The work identified and prioritised the biggest commercial opportunities, helping us focus on the areas with the greatest potential business impact. Michael then helped us shape the high-level commercial design for the future operating model, working back from the business outcomes we wanted to achieve so the commercial requirements were defined before technology decisions were made.”
The first step in the Formalus Value Architecture.
In our method this assessment is called the Value Signal. If it shows enough value, the next step is Phase 1 Value Focus: one day that measures the opportunity with your own figures. You commit to one step at a time, never to the whole path.
- Free Value Signal Free AI Opportunity Assessment Is there enough commercial value to investigate? Free Get Your Free Assessment Sponsor agrees a Value Focus day
- Phase 1 Value Focus Executive Sizing Day How much is at stake, and is a Value Map worth it? £2,500 · one day, credited See Value Focus Sponsor signs the Value Map charter
- Phase 2 Value Map Discovery & Audit Where is value being won and lost? From £15,000 See Value Map Leadership prioritises the workstreams
- Phase 3 Value Blueprint Requirements, Specification & Redesign What must change, and is the investment justified? From £25,000 See Value Blueprint Board approval; baseline locked
- Phase 4 Value Assurance Support through the build Is the build preserving the value case, and are people working the new way? From £5,000 a month See Value Assurance Alongside: your technology partner builds Go-live; assurance complete
- Phase 5 Value Ledger Value Realisation & Optimisation Is the investment delivering attributable value? From £5,000 a month See Value Ledger The next justified Value Map
Is there an opportunity worth pursuing? An hour will tell you.
A free 60-minute executive discussion, followed by a concise written assessment of the opportunity, where changes to the work and AI may help, and whether further investigation is justified.
Get Your Free Assessment