An operating review is a regular, structured look at how the firm is actually running — workflow, capacity, deadlines, client issues, projects and margins — with clear actions and owners. Run monthly, documented and shared, it becomes the engine of continuous improvement.
What to cover
- Workflow and deadlines: what’s on track, what’s stuck, and why
- Capacity: where the team is stretched or underused
- Client issues: problems, risks and anything affecting experience
- Projects and priorities: what’s moving and what’s slipping
- Commercials: margins, pricing and where time is going
How to run it well
Keep it regular (monthly works for most firms), keep it honest, and keep it short. The point isn’t a status meeting — it’s decisions. Every issue should leave the review with an owner and a next step.
Document and follow through
Capture the outcomes in one place and check them at the next review. A review that isn’t written down and followed up is just a chat. Done consistently, it’s how a firm compounds small improvements into a much better-run business.
The monthly operating review is a core part of the Optivo Monthly COO.
Common questions
How often should we run an operating review?
Monthly suits most firms — frequent enough to catch problems early, spaced enough to see real change. A lighter weekly check on priorities works alongside it.
Who should be in the review?
The owner or leadership team, plus whoever owns the operation. Keep it small enough to make decisions and clear enough that actions have named owners.
Let’s build a firm that runs without you in the middle of it.
A confidential, no-obligation call to understand your firm, where it’s stuck, and whether Optivo is the right fit. If it’s not, I’ll tell you.