Operational resilience and working capital
Operational resilience that releases working capital when macroeconomic conditions shift.
This is the defensive domain. When tariffs, demand shocks, and interest-rate pressure hit, we address these value levers: margin and freight protection, slow-moving and obsolete (SLOB) stock and inventory reduction, and working capital released through SKU rationalization. Twelve-week cycles with fees at stake based on outcomes, and value verified by your ROI-approving stakeholders.
DIRECT LINE
Put a number on the line this quarter.
Twenty-five minute call. A Cycle 1 sketch tied to a real P&L number in your operation, the baseline mechanics, the named operators, and how outcome-staking works. No slides, no obligation.
See the four problem domains →
No obligation. We respond.
From objective to impact
- IdentifyInventory, freight, and margin exposure.
- PrioritizeOptions with Operations and Finance.
- ActA response with a defined scope.
- ValidateImpact against the baseline.
STRTGY · Value-linked fees
We validate value. Then we bill.
We agree on a value target, a baseline, and a measurement method with your Finance team. We execute a twelve-week cycle, validate the value generated at the end, and bill after that validation. Each project contract defines the scope, amount, payment terms, and what happens if the target is not met.
The twelve-week cycle is our delivery model, not an unconditional ROI guarantee. Targets, measurement, and acceptance are agreed for your operation in each proposal.
When is payment due?
We bill after validating the value generated at the end of the cycle. The project contract specifies the amount, payment terms, and how any deviation from the agreed target is handled.
The pattern
Margins compress as soon as macroeconomic conditions shift.
A tariff lands. Demand weakens. Interest rates stay above what your plan assumed. The inventory you bought for a different forecast becomes slow-moving and obsolete. Freight costs spike with expedited shipments no one budgeted for. Exception handling swells into a hidden cost center. The P&L you defended last quarter starts losing value, and the usual cost-cutting playbook is too slow to stop it.
Resilience is the missing piece. It is not a transformation program or a hiring freeze. It is a fast, defensive cycle that acts on cash and costs already on your books: releasing trapped working capital, protecting margin and freight line items, and reducing the cost of exceptions. At the end of the cycle, Finance validates the value delivered against the agreed baseline.
How we do it
Twelve weeks. Defensive. Value measured at the end of the cycle.
We define the cash, margin, and inventory levers included in the twelve-week cycle. We measure the value delivered against a baseline agreed with Finance. Subsequent cycles and their scope are agreed based on priorities and evidence.
Weeks 0 to 2
Baseline cash and margin
We define the team and its responsibilities according to the scope, bring authorized inventory, freight, and exception data into the project environment, and set an Approved Value Baseline with Finance. The target and measurement method are agreed in writing before execution.
Weeks 2 to 9
Release capital, defend the line item
Senior operators are accountable for decisions; AI agents support SLOB scoring, SKU analysis, freight and exception classification, and scenario modeling. We measure the effect on cash and margin against the agreed baseline.
Weeks 10 to 12
Verify the return, then build on it
Finance validates the value delivered against the baseline: working capital, margin, freight, and exception costs, according to the agreed scope. We bill after validation. Any subsequent cycle and its scope are agreed in the project contract.
In operation
Risk and continuity built into the operating fabric by design.
How the process connects
- IdentifyInventory, freight, and margin exposure.
- PrioritizeOptions with Operations and Finance.
- ActA response with a defined scope.
- ValidateImpact against the baseline.
Where we intervene
Five engagement types within this domain.
The scope can combine the following engagement types in a twelve-week cycle. We size it according to the value baseline and project dependencies, not the number of engagement types.
Working capital release and SKU rationalization
Address cash trapped on the balance sheet. Score the portfolio, rationalize the long tail of SKUs, and adjust the ordering, allocation, and replenishment logic that keeps stock levels too high. We prioritize opportunities against the agreed baseline.
Margin and freight protection
Defend the margin line and cost-to-serve when macroeconomic conditions shift. Repricing discipline, expedited freight reduction, and mode and route optimization, with senior operators in charge of decisions and agents in charge of volume.
SLOB and inventory reduction
Tackle slow-moving and obsolete inventory directly. Agentic SLOB scoring and disposition, impairment prevention, and demand and supply signals that keep the next wave of dead stock from forming.
Exception and service cost reduction
Turn the hidden cost center of manual exception handling, including service exceptions and escalations, into an instrumented, agent-assisted workflow. Fewer escalations, faster resolution, and a measurable drop in cost-to-serve and firefighting effort.
Resilience playbooks and scenario planning
Establish the playbooks and scenario models that let Finance and Operations move fast the next time macroeconomic conditions shift. Tariff, demand-shock, and interest-rate pressure scenarios connected to the levers that respond.
Business example
Protect margins and decide what to do with stranded inventory.
Client identity protected
Industry: component manufacturing and distribution. The priority is to respond to changes in demand and supply without maintaining service levels through constant rush purchases and expedited freight.
The business problem
Sales may hold steady while margins erode due to changes in mix, discounts, purchasing costs, and transportation. At the same time, some components stop moving while others force orders to be expedited. The aggregate figure conceals distinct decisions: which inventory to keep, which purchase to review, which product to substitute, and where an urgent request reflects a real constraint. Cutting stock indiscriminately can shift the risk to service.
STRTGY’s intervention
At STRTGY, we connect sales, costs, inventory age, consumption, open orders, and replenishment lead times. We classify exceptions by economic exposure and compare alternatives: adjusting parameters, reviewing pending purchases, transferring stock, or agreeing on a disposition. Agents organize the evidence and maintain follow-through; Operations, Procurement, and Finance leaders decide on actions and their limits. Every action has a value hypothesis, an accountable owner, and a review condition to distinguish a one-off response from a sustainable process change.
The value and how it is measured
The value sought is margin protection and capital release without losing responsiveness. We measure inventory age and turnover, purchasing, expedited freight, cost-to-serve, and service levels. With Finance, we distinguish cash movement from the P&L effect and avoid counting the same improvement twice. The baseline and validation method are agreed before execution; at the end of the cycle, we review the evidence for each action and its effect in the context of changes in demand and cost.
Commitments
Delivery principles Defined in each proposal.
These principles guide delivery. We agree on the target and its measurement with Finance, validate value at the end of the cycle, and bill afterward. Each contract defines the scope, amount, payment terms, and how unmet targets are handled.
01
Value-based fees
Fees linked to the value we deliver, measured against a baseline approved by your Finance organization. When the lever is cash and margin you already have, we price against that, not against hours.
02
Twelve-week cycles
We work in twelve-week delivery cycles. Scope, the approved value baseline, acceptance criteria, and contractual terms are defined in each proposal.
03
Agreed scope and changes
Scope, amount, and change handling are agreed in the project contract.
04
Transparent resource plan
Team and responsibilities defined according to scope. Team composition, continuity, and replacement are agreed in the project proposal and contract.
DIRECT LINE
Put a number on the line this quarter.
Twenty-five minute call. A Cycle 1 sketch tied to a real P&L number in your operation, the baseline mechanics, the named operators, and how outcome-staking works. No slides, no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Questions a buyer actually asks.
What is working capital release, and how quickly can it happen?
Working capital release is cash freed from the balance sheet by reducing slow-moving and obsolete (SLOB) inventory, rationalizing the SKU portfolio, and adjusting ordering, allocation, and replenishment logic. For each STRTGY project, we agree on the baseline and measurement method with Finance and validate the value delivered at the end of the twelve weeks.
How does Operational Resilience differ from Supply Chain Transformation?
Transformation improves allocation, fulfillment, and operational interfaces. Operational Resilience focuses on margin, working capital, inventory, and exception costs in response to changing conditions. The two domains can be combined; scope and targets are defined for each twelve-week cycle.
Will our Finance team and controllers sign off on the savings you claim?
Before execution, we agree on a value target, a baseline, and a measurement method with your Finance team. Finance validates the value generated at the end of the twelve-week cycle. We bill after validation; the contract defines the amount, payment terms, and how unmet targets are handled.
What does margin and freight protection actually involve?
We instrument where margin is lost and where freight spend exceeds the value of the service, then close the loop with senior operators accountable for decisions and AI agents responsible for volume. That means repricing discipline, expedited freight reduction, mode and route optimization, and lower exception-handling costs. The goal is a protected margin line and a lower cost-to-serve that hold up when macroeconomic conditions turn against you.
How do you prioritize opportunities when macroeconomic conditions shift?
We assess potential impact, available data, and operational dependencies. With Finance, we agree on the cycle target and baseline, validate the value delivered at the end, and bill after that validation.
DIRECT LINE
Put a number on the line this quarter.
Twenty-five minute call. A Cycle 1 sketch tied to a real P&L number in your operation, the baseline mechanics, the named operators, and how outcome-staking works. No slides, no obligation.
Let’s talk about your operation