Revenue Healthcheck

Frequently Cartesian is asked to give management confidence that revenues are being fully and promptly billed and collected, that costs are managed and controlled, and that margins are positive. As one of the Europe’s leading Revenue Assurance consultancies, we have a methodology which we can adapt to fit the particular needs of the Carrier concerned. It is structured and well-tried, and delivers a practical way forward, not just a thick consultants’ report.
When we carry out what we call a Revenue Healthcheck, we usually have three objectives:

• conduct top-down review of processes and controls
• analyse bottom-up key data to be found in operational systems
• look at horizontal practices such as access security and change management

If we are also asked to assess the RA function we use our COAST methodology.

Our approach to Revenue Healthcheck

The approach we take to the top-down audit of control processes is to develop a detailed spreadsheet which is called a Control Framework. This results from our interviews and workshops, but draws strongly on our experience of what Control Objectives can be expected in each area of the business. By comparing the Operator’s current processes and controls with those that would lead to these Control Objectives being met, we can produce a gap analysis.
Closing the gaps is the second part of the Revenue Healthcheck work and a critical success factor. We first assess the level of risk of revenue leakage arising from each gap, and then propose what steps are taken to close the most important gaps. Once these are agreed, we are often asked to produce an Action Plan with resource requirements and timescales that will lead to the Operator having justifiable confidence in the revenues being reported.