How to Know If Your Auditor Is Actually Helping Your Business

By Georgina Swain

How to Know If Your Auditor Is Actually Helping Your Business

Your auditor should do far more than count stock and hand over a report. A good audit adds clarity, supports your team, and protects your margin. A poor one drains time, gives you noise instead of insight, and leaves you no better off than the month before.

Here’s how to tell the difference.

You Get Insight, Not Just Numbers

A strong audit explains why something has happened, not only what has happened.

Signs your auditor is adding value:

They identify the root cause of variances.
They explain the operational impact in simple terms.
They highlight patterns across categories and shifts.
They point out risks before they become expensive.

If you’re only receiving GP%, variance totals and a list of counts, you’re not getting meaningful support.

They Help Your Team Improve Every Month

Your team should feel supported, not judged. The best auditors work with people, not against them.

Look for:

Clear, practical actions that staff can follow.
Coaching around pour discipline, rotation, line cleaning and portion control.
Calm, constructive conversations with managers.
Consistency from month to month.

If your team dreads audit day, the process isn’t working.

They Spot Operational Weaknesses Early

Your auditor is often the first person to see issues that affect margin. They should be calling these out clearly.

Key signs of early warning:

They identify repeated losses in specific products.
They highlight delivery problems, coding errors or recipe gaps.
They notice when stock routines slip.
They track small changes before they turn into big problems.

If you only hear about issues once they’re already costly, the audit isn’t doing its job.

Reporting Is Fast, Clear and Easy to Act On

Your report should be simple to read and quick to use.

Good reporting includes:

A summary that highlights top priorities.
Clear explanations, not jargon.
Data you can trust.
Consistent formatting across every visit.

Slow reporting or confusing layouts waste time and hide patterns.

They Help You Protect and Grow GP%

At its core, the audit should improve margin, reduce waste, and support better decision-making.

A helpful auditor:

Tracks GP% movement over time.
Connects the results to real actions.
Helps you avoid repeated mistakes.
Gives you the confidence to change menus, pricing or processes.

If your GP% moves around with no explanation, something is missing.

They Use Tools That Support Accuracy

Modern auditing relies on reliable systems, quick data checks and clean inputs. If your auditor still relies on slow or outdated processes, you’ll feel it in the results.

Things to look for:

Smooth till integration.
Consistent coding.
Easy delivery checks.
Visibility of product history.

If everything feels manual, it limits how much value the auditor can give you.

They Leave You Better Informed Than When They Arrived

At the end of each visit, you should know exactly:

Where you’re losing money.
What you need to change.
Who needs to do what.
How the site compares with previous months.

If you leave the audit with questions instead of clarity, the process isn’t helping.

They Care About Your Business, Not Just the Report

The best auditors operate like an extension of your management team.

This means they:

Understand the daily pressures your site faces.
Adapt to your format and operational style.
Give honest feedback, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Celebrate improvements and progress.

A disengaged auditor gives you disengaged results.

Where Capcon Fits In

At Capcon, our auditors focus on practical improvement, not paperwork. Every visit is designed to help you protect margin, tighten controls, and support your team’s confidence.

Through our work and with Nifty19, you get: