Unveiling the Expertise of 'Pragmatic Advisory & Implementation'

Advisory at TriFinance is not mainstream management consulting. It is a one-of-a-kind combination of services that includes pragmatic advisory, implementation and intelligent capacity. We call it Do-How, and we cater to a wide range of clients in the corporate, public sector, banking, and insurance industries. As such, we go ‘beyond advisory’.

Speaking with Alexander Van Caeneghem and Serge Vigoureux, Blue Chip Boutique Leaders in TriFinance’s Pragmatic Advisory & Implementation service, we discussed the major challenges and opportunities they see in the market right now.

Serge Vigoureux: ‘One major challenge I see is that many organizations lack a comprehensive understanding of their enterprise architecture. When I use the term “enterprise architecture”, I’m not looking at it from an IT perspective, but from a functional analysis perspective: Which actions are performed within which system? Attempting to develop solutions for recent changes, people forget about the older solutions that are still in place, which only leads to further complexity. Functional analysis is a crucial part of enterprise architecture that is often overlooked by many companies. With the pace of change increasing, having a clear and well-defined enterprise architecture is more important than ever.

Alexander Van Caeneghem: ‘We are actually facing a number of major, partly intertwined transformations at the same time. While we have been grappling with enterprise architecture and digital transformation, we must also prepare for sustainability, which may prove at least as disruptive to the global economy. A new risk universe is emerging. Also to be expected is a transformation on an organizational level, as outdated governance models are replaced by newer ones. We have been expecting this for a few years now. Unlike sustainability, organizational transformation is not compliance-driven, but it’s equally unavoidable. With the influx of new generations into the workforce, antiquated organizational frameworks will inevitably render themselves obsolete.

‘The crux is to welcome the opportunities for change and embrace those transformations. Transformation is methodology. For us, gaining transparency through end-to-end processes is a necessary condition for a successful transformation. You get an overview of how it all works and how everything is connected. It also establishes distinct linkages to enterprise architecture.

‘The concept of the "digital twin”, which has gained traction in recent years, constructs a model of the organization, showing how process modifications can impact the entire system. This correlates with the fundamental elements of operating model thinking, encompassing processes, systems, data, and controls. We embrace this framework in all our work, acknowledging that a company's strategy necessitates a well-designed organizational and operational model for effective implementation. These building blocks, or design principles, remain constant in every aspect of our work. We follow that logic in everything we do.

You are both now going to the market as ‘Pragmatic Advisory & Implementation’, the advisory branch of the Tri brands. What exactly sets you apart from the competition?

Serge Vigoureux: ‘That would definitely be “Do-How”, a term we coined to indicate that our people not only know how to solve problems but also implement and execute the solutions. The way we approach the market of candidates and customers contains new combinations of intelligent capacity and pragmatic advisory & implementation. By calling it ‘Do-How’, we point out that we are able to translate the knowledge angle of management consulting into sustainable, embedded results. Do-How results in better solutions, ‘beyond advisory’, through people who combine deep industry experience with conceptual and methodological knowledge.

‘Explaining ‘Do-How’ to clients, we emphasize that our experts have a lot of operational field experience and are always on top of new developments, both organizational and technological. TriFinance offers this unique opportunity. Clients appreciate this combination of intelligent capacity and pragmatic advisory & implementation services, as well as our competitive tariff structure.

Alexander Van Caeneghem: ‘Obviously we have deep subject matter expertise in such domains as finance transformation, risk management, reporting and process management. That is a solid foundation. But essentially, the nature of the advice we give is different because with us, advice and implementation are intrinsically linked. Because ‘Do-How’ is a new concept, we coined a new name for it. That is our offering.

‘The fact that we eventually implement our solutions determines the advice we provide. That's why clients generally ask for immediate implementation. Our solutions need to work in that specific client’s particular context. That is customization. And that is exactly where the real value is created.

Alexander Van Caeneghem: ‘Putting Pragmatic Advisory & Implementation in the spotlight alongside the TriFinance Intelligent Capacity service is a logical step in the development of the service portfolio of the Tri brands. In the capacity business, we essentially sell the confidence that our organization can deliver the expertise, quality and continuity that are needed to solve customer-specific problems.

‘We have made a deliberate decision to fully focus on the complementary nature of our services. While, as a company, we previously focused primordially on intelligent capacity, we are now further developing a fully-fledged second service. The combination of both services is Do-How. This is a natural progression for our company's growth.

‘If you look at the development of Pragmatic Advisory & Implementation from the perspective of the TriFinance philosophy, you could say that it offers our consultants alternative growth paths, which is crucial within the TriFinance ecosystem. Our goal is to nurture growth on two levels: first, we offer consultants functional and technical-methodological support, and secondly, we help them define a career path that is not purely functional or financial, encompassing the broader realms of ‘consulting’ and ‘advisory’.

Serge, you tend to enter a project from a management information perspective. That's a rather unique approach. Can you elaborate on that?

Serge Vigoureux: ‘Our experts never enter the conversation from a systems perspective. They don't because we are not the umpteenth implementer of systems. We always start from a management information perspective. That’s where we stand out in the market. No other consulting firm focuses on management information first. Others typically focus on compliance, not management accounting, and they don’t have controllers who start from this perspective. In everything we do, controlling is primordial.

‘Good controllers are hard to come by, as many get bogged down in daily operations. They are stuck in the closing cycle and don’t have room for projects. Good controllers focus on analysis, offer insights, and create value by acting as business partners. The same thing goes for controllers who have an affinity with systems and are able to translate these insights into the information pyramid.

‘We have both. Our experts are good operational controllers who have an affinity with the setup of systems to get these insights. Many finance professionals may only occasionally implement an ERP or reporting system. We do it on a daily basis.

‘Our clients are companies that are facing varying degrees of impact from global turbulence and macroeconomic instability. This includes challenges such as supply chain issues, inflation, the energy crisis, and geopolitical tensions. It increasingly calls for good scenario analysis.'

In such a turbulent market and global economy, what can Pragmatic Advisory & Implementation offer?

Serge Vigoureux: ‘Everything is becoming more complex. The economic environment has become more intricate, and even short-term developments can yield significant impacts. The systems landscape has also grown more complex, posing challenges in providing valuable insights to business partners. Only a handful of individuals possess a comprehensive overview, and fewer still have a holistic perspective or the ability to develop one.

‘Many companies have adopted automation, although it can pose a significant risk if implemented on unstable foundations. Consequently, controllers need to undertake further reconciliation efforts as they risk losing control over projects that truly deliver added value.

‘Consultancy offers the advantage of an external perspective, without the burden of an internal organization’. The added value of a consulting approach is evident, but it necessitates a comprehensive advisory service, not a simple automation solution. This distinction is crucial in today's complex environment, where companies require strategic insights and guidance to navigate the challenges of a highly turbulent market and global economy.

Alexander Van Caeneghem: ‘Each company has its own unique context, influenced by factors like corporate culture and people. Pragmatic Advisory & Implementation excels in creating customized solutions that work within the specific context of our clients. This level of success cannot be achieved through theoretical approaches or blueprint models. That's where our "Do-How" approach becomes crucial. In a world of complex changes, the ability to develop practical solutions is essential for achieving success.

‘Our tailored solutions are applicable to organizations of all types. We place a strong emphasis on delivering practical solutions that are customized to meet the unique needs of each client, even in challenging contexts. Using a heuristic framework, we develop strategies that align with the specific circumstances of our clients. We consistently deliver tailored solutions that are scalable and adaptable to varying organizational requirements.

Serge Vigoureux: ‘I second that. Our solutions can be beneficial across a wide range of companies, regardless of their size. We specialize in delivering tailored solutions that work for different types of organizations, whether it's a large industrial firm or a scale-up. Some determining factors, for instance, are the organization's culture, their openness to change, the complexity of existing processes and systems, and proximity to the decision center.

Alexander Van Caeneghem: ‘Over the years, we have gained expertise in identifying environments where our solutions thrive and create significant impact. We consider decision parameters and align them with the client's vision to ensure successful outcomes. However, it's important to note that if a client views TriFinance solely as a temporary staffing provider without recognizing our distinctiveness and customization capabilities, the effectiveness of the solution may be compromised, limiting the potential impact. That is a missed opportunity if you have ever seen one."