Details anonymised at client request.
Business Situation
Following its Series B round, the company had extended its operating budget across teams without fully reassessing existing spend. Most departments had built new budgets by increasing prior-year allocations, while overlapping software tools, underused subscriptions, and fragmented ownership across functions had gradually increased recurring operating costs. The finance team believed there was meaningful inefficiency in the cost base, but lacked a structured process to evaluate spend line-by-line across the organisation.
What the Consultant Did
An independent finance consultant led a zero-based budgeting exercise across six departments over six weeks. The engagement included cost reviews, vendor analysis, software utilisation assessment, and department-level budget justification sessions. Particular focus was placed on overlapping SaaS subscriptions, underutilised tools, and recurring operational expenses that had expanded without central visibility.
What Changed
The company identified ₹1.4 Cr in recurring annual spend that could be removed without reducing headcount. The revised budgeting process also gave leadership clearer visibility into operating priorities, vendor usage, and capital allocation decisions across teams. The board later approved zero-based budgeting as an ongoing annual planning discipline rather than a one-time cost exercise.
Evidence, not adjectives.
The measurable changes recorded during or following the engagement.
₹1.4 Cr recurring annual spend eliminated
Runway extended from 18 months to 24 months
Budget ownership standardised across six departments
SaaS vendor duplication significantly reduced
