Bring the problem. We will decide what deserves the next step.

1. Tell me the problem

Start with the business situation rather than choosing from a complicated service menu.

A useful first description usually includes:

• what the business does;
• what is happening now;
• what you want to improve;
• how urgent the issue is;
• the market or location involved; and
• the most important constraint.

You do not need to prepare a consulting brief.

2. We decide whether the request fits

A request will normally fall into one of four internal paths:

1. Customer growth — demand, conversion, inquiry tracking or a related acquisition problem.
2. Operational efficiency — repetitive work, process friction or a focused AI-assisted workflow worth testing.
3. Provider or specialist research — defining a requirement and narrowing realistic options.
4. Not a fit — the request should not be forced into the Desk.

A broad front door does not mean unlimited scope.

3. Define the smallest useful engagement

If there is a credible fit, the first paid step should usually be smaller than a major project.

Depending on the problem, that could be:

• a diagnostic;
• an audit;
• a research brief;
• a provider shortlist;
• a pilot;
• a workflow test; or
• a clearly bounded implementation scope.

The objective is to learn something useful before creating unnecessary complexity.

4. Agree on scope, fee and success criteria

Before paid work begins, the written scope should make clear:

• what will be done;
• what will not be done;
• what information or access is required;
• the fee and payment terms;
• the expected deliverable; and
• what evidence would count as a useful result.

5. Do the work and evaluate what happened

The closeout should separate facts from interpretation.

Where appropriate, document:

Starting point → Work performed → Result or disposition → What we learned

A mixed or negative result can still be useful if it prevents further waste.

When Trusted Business Desk may say no

A request may be declined or redirected when:

• the economic problem is too small to justify the likely effort;
• the request is mainly seeking unlimited free advice;
• the work requires expertise the Desk cannot responsibly provide;
• the issue involves regulated or high-liability professional judgment;
• there is no meaningful outcome that can be defined; or
• the likely fulfillment burden clearly exceeds the value of the engagement.

A direct not a fit is better than selling the wrong solution.