With the economic downturn, markets are becoming increasingly competitive and companies face a range of serious challenges. With the future uncertain, companies in the Netherlands cannot stand still. Rather, they must evaluate and adapt to evolving circumstances. Deloitte has developed an integrated service offering (ISO) to enable them to do just this.

Launched in November 2008, our Navigating the Downturn ISO provides companies with a quick insight into which downturn forces are affecting them and helps them develop and execute a focused plan. The integrated offering focuses on optimising the business portfolio, controlling costs, mitigating risks, optimising tax and improving cash flow and funding.

The approach consists of three phases. To begin with, a downturn analysis is undertaken to assess improvement opportunities, priorities and root causes to determine the appropriate solution. Secondly, quick wins and medium- to long-term improvement opportunities are identified, which are prioritised in a detailed plan. Finally, the roll out and full implementation takes place, with Deloitte assisting at every stage.

"This ISO has been remarkably successful and positioned Deloitte as a fast-moving innovator in the Dutch market," says Oscar Snijders, who leads the team that is responsible for the offering. "We are uniquely positioned to help companies navigate the downturn and our multidisciplinary teams can analyse data from many points of view."

The launch was supported by an extensive advertising campaign in the business media that has become widely recognised. "The feedback has been exceptional and we're thinking ahead about how this ISO will develop over time as markets recover," says Snijders.