How Thomas Achieved up to 50% Savings for Fast-Growing Repair Chain

How Thomas Achieved up to 50% Savings for Fast-Growing Repair Chain

Key highlights

• Analysed 12 months of spend data across 14 cost categories
• Identified up to 50% improvement opportunities in key spend areas
• Objective was not only to reduce costs, but to help the organisation maintain control during rapid expansion

Thomas Skov has been with ERA Group for three years and is based in Denmark. In his role, he works with both prospective and existing clients, helping them understand how specialist expertise and structured analysis can improve cost control and operational performance.

A key part of his work involves both identifying opportunities for new clients and managing the delivery of projects once they begin. This includes coordinating category specialists and ensuring that insights are translated into measurable outcomes across different parts of a business.

One recent engagement involved a large international car repair and windshield replacement network operating across Denmark. With around 300 employees spread across 35 locations, the business had experienced rapid growth over five years and was beginning to feel increasing pressure on costs.

The leadership team wanted clarity: were costs still under control, and if not, where were the risks?

Thomas and the team began by analysing 12 months of detailed spend data. This included suppliers, categories, and spending patterns across the entire organisation. From this, they built a full opportunity assessment covering 14 different categories—from rent and leasing to waste management and workshop tools.

The analysis revealed significant potential for improvement, with some areas showing up to 50% optimisation opportunities. But for the client, the value went beyond the numbers.

As Thomas explains, “we built a full picture of where the money was going and where there was room to improve—it gave them an understanding they had never had before.”

The objective was not only to reduce costs, but to help the organisation maintain control during rapid expansion. With new repair shops opening regularly, consistency in how costs were managed became essential to sustainable growth.

Implementation varied depending on the category. Some changes, such as switching utilities suppliers, delivered immediate impact with minimal disruption. Others required deeper engagement with on-site teams to ensure adoption and long-term success.

As Thomas puts it, “some changes happen overnight, but others require people on the ground to really understand and embrace the shift.”

Ultimately, the client valued not just the savings achieved, but the visibility and understanding they gained across their organisation. The engagement helped them benchmark their performance and make more informed decisions as they continued to expand.

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