In organizations that rely on professionals—such as accountants or consultants—capacity planning is a delicate matter. It’s not just about allocating hours, but also about aligning expectations, safeguarding organizational goals, and maintaining strong client relationships.
Many companies struggle with the question: should we opt for strict central planning, or leave it to the professionals themselves? The truth is: neither extreme works optimally. The key lies in a hybrid model – a combination of central control and decentralized flexibility.
Why strict central planning doesn’t work
In production environments, a central planning model can work well. These environments often revolve around standardized processes, predictable tasks, and clear production schedules. But in professional services, things are different.
The professional—for example, the accountant assisting a customer or the consultant leading a project—is in direct contact with the customer. They know the nuances of the assignment, understand the specific context, and know the best time to schedule work.
A too central approach has several disadvantages here:
- Lack of detailed knowledge : The central planner often misses crucial context about priorities and customer needs.
- Rigid processes : Professionals have less room to make agreements that match the customer’s reality.
- Less ownership : When a professional has no influence on the planning, this can lead to lower motivation and less responsibility for the end result.
Why a purely decentralized model also falls short
On the other hand, a completely decentralized approach is also problematic. When every professional manages their own schedule, blind spots quickly arise at the organizational level.
- Fragmented overview : Without central coordination, there is no insight into total capacity and ongoing projects.
- Risk of over- or understaffing : A team may become overloaded, while elsewhere in the organisation capacity remains unused.
- Difficult prioritization : Business-critical projects can get lost because no central decision is made.
The result: organizational goals – such as profitability, strategic growth and customer satisfaction – are jeopardized.
The solution: a hybrid planning model
For organizations with highly skilled professionals, a hybrid model is most effective. It combines the strengths of centralized and decentralized planning while minimizing their weaknesses. In a hybrid model, the following occurs:
Central direction in broad terms
- Incoming orders are centrally assessed for urgency, strategic importance and required skills.
- Based on global availability and expertise, an initial allocation is made: who or which team will take on the project, and in what period?
- Central planning monitors the balance between projects so that capacity is optimally used across the organization.
Decentralized completion of details
- Once the job is assigned, the team or professional has the freedom to coordinate the precise schedule with the customer.
- The professional can respond flexibly to changes or specific customer wishes, without losing sight of the strategic framework of the organization.
Practical example: a consultancy firm
Suppose a consultancy firm receives a new assignment from a major customer. Central planning recognizes this customer as strategically important and that the project must begin within six weeks.
Based on the required expertise and availability, Consultant A is centrally appointed. A four-week block is reserved in the planning software in Consultant A’s calendar for 24 hours per week. This is scheduled weekly, as actual dates are not yet relevant.
Consultant A contacts the customer, discusses the details, and distributes the 24 scheduled hours per week across specific days and time slots. This allows for internal meetings at the customer’s location or dependencies with other teams. A centralized overview provides a detailed overview of Consultant A’s remaining time for any additional assignments.
This model ensures that both the organizational goal (starting on time and reserving capacity) and the customer need (flexibility in execution) are met.
Advantages of the hybrid model
Balance between flexibility and control
Professionals have the freedom to make customer agreements that align with reality. The organization maintains control over the overall picture and strategic priorities.
Better use of capacity
By looking centrally at the total resource planning, over- and understaffing is prevented.
Higher customer satisfaction
Customers experience customized solutions and personal coordination, while deadlines and quality standards are met.
Faster decision-making
Central coordination prevents endless negotiations about who does what, while professionals can quickly switch with their customers.
Conclusion
For accounting firms, consultancies, and other organizations employing highly skilled professionals, a hybrid planning model offers the best of both worlds. It combines the strategic control of centralized coordination with the flexibility and customer focus of decentralized coordination.
A hybrid model only works well if certain conditions are met:
- Clear frameworks : Professionals must know within which margins they can make their own decisions.
- Transparent communication : Both central planners and professionals have real-time insight into the current planning.
- Supporting technology : A shared scheduling system, such as Timewax, enables centralized booking and decentralized fine-tuning. A direct 2-way integration with calendar systems is essential.
- Collaborative Culture : There must be mutual respect between central planners and operational professionals.
This way, the organization remains in control, without restricting the autonomy and expertise of the professional. The result: satisfied customers, motivated employees, and more efficient use of capacity.
