• Are there risks that you may be overlooking regarding your operation?
• Are your calculations to measure returns and risk appropriate?
• Do you have adequate policies, procedures and controls in place?
• Are you employing "best practices"?
• Does the rest of your firm feel there is room to improve?

The Spaulding Group’s operational review service covers all aspects of a firm’s performance and risk measurement process, and provides many benefits including:

• an objective and independent assessment of what you’re doing, to identify areas for improvement, as well as risks
• greater comfort in your procedures, policies, process
• comfort to the rest of the firm that the group is using best practices and appropriate techniques; that the appropriate polices and controls are in place
• insight into areas for improvement
• Identifying areas where risks may exist
• confirm beliefs about the way things are being done, and that they’re appropriate
• ways to do things better

Firms are different, and departments are organized differently, and serve different needs. Thus there isn't a “cookie cutter” approach to our service, though are reviews generally follow a fairly consistent approach.

In advance of our visit, we will work with you to prepare an agenda. If possible, we would like to review documentation on the firm and department, either before we arrive or while we are on site.

We begin with an interview with the department or group’s head, to gain insights into their operation, which includes:

• Mission
• Roles
• Organization structure
• Backgrounds on the manager/staff/team, as well as their respective responsibilities
• Background on the company itself (structure, products, client types, offices)
• the departments and users that are served by the group
• the systems (packaged, programmed, spreadsheet-based, and other) that are used for performance and risk measurement and reporting. Are there duplicate or redundant systems? Are there areas that are being met with spreadsheets or through a manual process?
• How needs are handled
• Known issues that have been identified, either within their department or from others in the firm

At the conclusion of your review you will receive a thorough report which details:

• Our findings
• Areas that excel
• Areas that need improvement or for which additional benefits exist
• Risks the firm faces
• An assessment of the organization’s systems and reporting

Many firms have already taken advantage of this valuable service.  To schedule your operational review contact Chris Spaulding (732-873-5700).