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Cost Reduction and Profit Improvement Strategies

Rising electricity tariffs, fuel costs and logistics disruptions have squeezed margins across South African industry, making structured cost reduction a board level priority rather than a once off exercise. This course gives finance and operations staff a disciplined method for identifying genuine savings opportunities, distinguishing cost cutting from cost avoidance, and sustaining improvements without damaging service quality or staff morale.

What you will be able to do

  • Differentiate between cost cutting, cost avoidance and cost containment approaches.
  • Analyse a cost base to identify controllable and uncontrollable spend categories.
  • Apply activity based techniques to uncover hidden and duplicated costs.
  • Evaluate energy, logistics and procurement spend for savings opportunities.
  • Design a profit improvement plan with clear ownership and timelines.
  • Track and sustain cost savings using appropriate key performance indicators.

Course outline

  1. 01Diagnosing the Cost Base
  2. 02Cost Cutting Versus Sustainable Savings
  3. 03Activity Based Cost Analysis
  4. 04Energy and Logistics Cost Management
  5. 05Procurement Driven Savings Opportunities
  6. 06Building a Profit Improvement Plan
  7. 07Change Management for Cost Programmes
  8. 08Tracking Savings and Reporting Results

Who should attend

Financial managers, operations managers, cost accountants and department heads accountable for expense budgets.

Dates, venues and fees

DatesVenueDaysFeeCalendar
17 to 18 Aug 2026Mauritius2US$1,100
24 to 25 Aug 2026Dubai2US$1,100
31 Aug to 1 Sep 2026Lagos2US$1,100
7 to 8 Sep 2026Harare2US$1,100
14 to 15 Sep 2026Kampala2US$1,100
21 to 22 Sep 2026Dar es Salaam2US$1,100
28 to 29 Sep 2026Pretoria2R10,000
5 to 6 Oct 2026Cape Town2R10,000
19 to 20 Oct 2026Online2US$900
26 to 27 Oct 2026Mozambique2US$1,100
2 to 3 Nov 2026Cairo2US$1,100
9 to 10 Nov 2026Accra2US$1,100
16 to 17 Nov 2026Lusaka2US$1,100
23 to 24 Nov 2026Kigali2US$1,100
30 Nov to 1 Dec 2026Nairobi2US$1,100
7 to 8 Dec 2026Durban2R10,000
14 to 15 Dec 2026Johannesburg2R10,000

Fees are per delegate. South African venues are priced in rand; other locations and online in US dollars. Fees exclude 15% VAT where applicable. Group bookings of three or more delegates from the same organisation qualify for a reduced rate; contact us for a quotation.

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