Insights & tips
Practical knowledge on contract management, procurement and risk for SMEs. Tips on notice periods, silent renewals and supplier management.
- ·Norbert Werthenbach
Your annual accounts need your contracts: building the commitments list in an afternoon
Every January the accountant asks for an overview of leases, multi-year contracts and guarantees that do not appear on the balance sheet. What belongs on that list, where to find the figures and why it pays to start now.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
Signed is not delivered: how to check your suppliers keep to the contract
Most contracts are never read again once they are signed, so discounts, service credits and agreed prices quietly slip away. A one-hour quarterly check, and what to do when the numbers do not match.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
Budgeting for 2027: start with the contracts you already signed
A large share of next year's costs was fixed the day someone signed a contract. Here is how to map those commitments before you draft the budget, and how to see which lines you can still actually change.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
Price indexation in wholesale: how 3% takes a quarter of your profit
In a sector running on net margins of two to five percent, an annual indexation of 3% is not a rounding error. Here is how it compounds across your fixed contracts, and what to negotiate instead.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
The summer contract cleanup: four rounds that pay for themselves
Summer is the quietest stretch of the year and the best time to tidy up your contract portfolio. Four rounds of roughly an hour each, with a measurable payoff.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
AI and contract management: what can SMEs do with it today?
AI in contract management is not a future promise. From flagging risks automatically to summarising contracts: here is what SMEs can use right now.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
Procurement vs. operations on RFPs: how to align instead of collide
Operations wants to keep the supplier, procurement wants to test the market. That tension costs money. Here's how to align both teams during an RFP.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
How to Write an RFP as an SME: Step by Step
A well-written RFP takes two hours and saves thousands. Here's how to write one that suppliers take seriously.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
How to renegotiate a supplier contract: a step-by-step guide for SMEs
Most SMEs never renegotiate. That costs money. Here is when to start, how to prepare, and what you can realistically achieve.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
Procurement Under Control: Managing Suppliers
Most SMEs overpay their suppliers due to poor contract management. Here is how to take control of your procurement without making it a full-time job.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
How to Create a Procurement Policy for SMEs
Most SMEs have no procurement policy. That costs money. Here is how to create one without bureaucracy, in a single afternoon.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
9.2% Revenue Lost to Poor Contract Management
Deloitte, McKinsey and Bain: businesses lose 9.2% of annual revenue through poor contract management. Here are the 10 most important findings.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
Business vs. Professional Liability Insurance
Public liability or professional indemnity? Learn when you need which, what they cover, and how to track insurance obligations in your contracts.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
Preventing Silent Contract Renewals in Your SME
Silent contract renewals cost SMEs thousands of euros every year. Learn why suppliers stay quiet and what you can do to stop profit leakage.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
How to Cancel a Business Contract: SME Guide
Want to cancel a business contract? Check the notice period, send a registered letter and keep proof. Step-by-step guide with sample letter and tips for SMEs.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
Freedom of Contract and Tacit Renewal
Tacit renewal in B2B contracts is almost always permitted, but there are exceptions. Learn your rights with telecom, insurance and energy contracts.
Read more - ·Norbert Werthenbach
5 tips for smart contract management in SMEs
How do you prevent contracts from auto-renewing without notice? Five practical tips for SME owners who want control over their contract portfolio.
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