Can You Run a Bigger Schedule With the Same Crew

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Hey, it’s David

Welcome back to M&A from the Plane with quick stories and insights drawn from the many miles I log in the air talking to business owners, founders, and dealmakers.

The Magic of Gate 23

Delayed flight after delayed flight was backing up at the terminal. Gate 23 had the worst of it… Three planes worth of passengers crammed into one waiting area, all wanting answers.

Instead of chaos breaking out, I watched something impressive. The gate agent pulled out a simple checklist, announced the delay reason, provided a new boarding time, offered rebooking options, and updated on connecting flights.

Same sequence for every angry passenger. Same calm tone. Same result.

Within 20 minutes, the crowd had thinned out. Everyone had their answer and next step.

One person, hundreds of problems, but she handled each one the exact same way.

When you standardize the routine stuff, you can handle any volume that walks through the door

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What I'm Seeing in High-Value Companies

The businesses that command premium multiples aren't necessarily the ones with the most people. They're the ones whose operations run predictably, even when things get busy.

I'm seeing this pattern everywhere: companies that have figured out how to handle 30% more volume without hiring anyone new. They've standardized the stuff that used to eat up everyone's day.

Take customer onboarding. Instead of every new client being a unique project, they've built a sequence that works every time. Same documents, same timeline, same checkpoints. Their team can handle twice as many new clients without breaking a sweat.

The Plays That Actually Work

Smart operators focus on standardizing five key areas where most bottlenecks happen:

Morning priorities: Instead of everyone figuring out their day from scratch, the important stuff gets surfaced automatically. Who needs follow-up, what's due today, which opportunities are getting hot.

Customer handoffs: New prospects, renewals, support issues all follow the same path. Nobody has to guess what happens next or who's responsible.

Document flow: Proposals, contracts, reports get built from templates that pull in current data. No more hunting through files or starting from blank pages.

Problem resolution: When something goes wrong, everyone knows exactly who handles it and how fast it needs to move. No more issues falling through cracks.

Daily wrap-up: Quick review of what moved forward, what got stuck, and what needs attention tomorrow.

Why This Changes Everything

When the routine stuff runs automatically, your team can focus on the conversations that actually drive revenue. Customer calls, deal negotiations, relationship building.

One services company I know implemented this approach and their revenue per employee jumped significantly over the next few months. Same people, same market, just eliminated the daily friction that was slowing everyone down.

Final Thoughts

Buyers pay attention to companies that can scale smoothly. They want to see operations that work whether you're having a quiet Tuesday or your busiest day of the year.

The gate agent at Gate 23 could handle any crowd because she had a system for every situation. Your business can do the same thing.

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David