Questions people ask us.
Some of these come up on nearly every discovery call. Others are things we wish more people asked before signing up with anyone. If your question isn't here, ask us directly. We'd rather answer it than have you guess.
Working with Simkul
What makes Simkul different from a typical consulting firm?
Most consultants hand you a report and leave. We stay. Luke and Simone get in and do the actual work alongside your team. Mapping processes, building dashboards, recruiting and integrating offshore staff, setting up the tech - until it's running, not just written down.
Will you do the work, or just tell me what to do?
We do it with you, not just for you or at you. Your team learns as we go, which is how the change a sticks once we leave.
What if I'm not sure which service I need?
Most people aren't when they first call. That's exactly what the initial call is for. We'll ask the right questions and work it out together, no pressure either way.
Can I start with one service and add others later?
Yes. Most clients start with whatever's causing the most pain right now, usually operations or overseas hiring, and come back for technology or further support once that's sorted. Nothing is sold as a bundle.
Do you only work with businesses that are struggling, or also ones doing well and want to grow?
Both. Plenty of clients come to us mid-crisis, but just as many are doing fine and want to get ahead of problems before growth outpaces their systems. The discovery call works the same either way.
Pricing and Engagement
How much does it cost to work with Simkul?
Overseas Staffing is $3,500. Business Strategy and Planning, Business Operations & Reporting and Automation and Digital Enhancements are scoped and quoted individually.
Why are some services a flat fee and others quoted individually?
Overseas Staffing follows a defined, repeatable process, so a flat fee makes sense. Operations and Technology engagements vary hugely depending on what's really required and how big the business is. Quoting those upfront without understanding the situation would mean guessing.
How long does a typical engagement take?
Overseas Staffing runs 4 to 6 weeks from sign-up to onboarded, plus 3 months of post-placement support. Operations, Strategy and Technology engagements vary, usually somewhere between 6 and 12 weeks depending on scope.
What happens after the intial call if we decide to go ahead?
For Overseas Staffing, we confirm the fee and get started straight away. For Operations, Strategy and Technology work, we put together a scope and quote based on what we've learned, and nothing starts until you've signed off on it.
Do you offer ongoing support after an engagement ends?
Everything we build is designed to run without us. Overseas placements include 3 months of structured post-placement support. For other engagements, some clients bring us back for periodic check-ins, but it's not a requirement. The goal is a business that doesn't depend on us being around.
How the work happens
How much of the work is remote versus in person?
A considerable amount can be done remotely, including most of the discovery and documentation work. Where something genuinely needs us in the room, such as team workshops, we travel to you. We're based in Perth but work with businesses across Australia.
How much time will my team need to put into this?
It depends on the engagement, but we design around minimal disruption. Expect interviews and workshops during discovery, then review and sign-off at key decision points. We do the heavy lifting; your team's time goes into the conversations that actually need them, not busywork.
Will you work directly with my staff, or only with me?
Directly with your team, where it matters. Process mapping, training, and onboarding all involve the people doing the work, because a fix that bypasses them doesn't hold.
Do you handle confidential business information securely?
Yes. We routinely work with financial data, staffing details, and internal processes, and treat all of it as confidential. If you need a formal NDA in place before sharing sensitive information, just ask on the discovery call.
Quick answers by service
What does a Business Strategy and Planning engagement involve?
Building a growth roadmap based on your business's real capacity, then staying on to help you run it: quarterly reviews, priority tracking, and adjustments as things change. The plan itself usually takes three to five weeks to build; most clients stay on for at least a full quarter after that. Scoped and quoted individually after the discovery call, same as our other consulting work.
What does a Business Operations & Reporting engagement involve?
Mapping how work flows through your business, documenting the processes that aren't written down, and building simple reporting so you can see what's really happening instead of guessing.
What kind of technology work do you do?
Vendor-neutral advice on which tools you need, automating the repetitive tasks eating your team's time, and connecting systems that currently don't talk to each other.
What is included in overseas recruitment?
Full candidate sourcing from our Philippines network, skills and background assessment, a shortlist for you to interview, role scoping, onboarding and tool setup, and 3 months of post-placement support. One $3,500 fee, no ongoing agency costs.
Still Have Questions?
Book a 30-minute call, or email it through directly. Either way, we'd rather give you a straight answer than have you guess.