From billing chaos to recovered revenue in 90 days

How a small fiber contractor stopped losing money they had already earned — and built a system that actually scales.

Fiber Optic Deployment2–5 Employees$500K Annual RevenueSoutheast US
$74K
Revenue recovered in first 90 days
11
Unbilled change orders identified
3 wks
Faster closeout package delivery

A contractor doing everything right — except getting paid for it

When we first connected with this fiber installation contractor, they were executing solid work across multiple active telecom projects in the Southeast. Their crews were reliable, their quality was consistent, and their client relationships were strong.

But their back office told a different story. With a team of just 3 people managing field operations and billing simultaneously, critical revenue was slipping through the cracks every month — not from bad work, but from an operational gap between what was done in the field and what made it onto an invoice.

Three compounding issues draining cash flow

📋
Revenue leakage

Completed work units — drops, splices, footage — were going untracked and unsubmitted. Estimated $4,000–$8,000 lost per project cycle.

🔄
Change order gaps

11 approved change orders had never been formally submitted for billing. The work was done. The money was sitting unclaimed.

📁
Closeout delays

As-built packages, OTDR results, and splice documentation were scattered across emails — causing 4–6 week delays and payment holds.

"We knew we were losing money somewhere — we just didn't know how to find it or stop it. We were too busy doing the work to track the work."

— Owner, fiber installation contractor (composite)

A structured 90-day engagement

1
Weeks 1–2: Billing audit & revenue recovery

Full reconciliation of all active and recently closed projects. Identified unbilled units, missing change orders, and NTE overruns. Submitted $47K in previously unclaimed invoices within the first 10 days.

2
Weeks 3–5: System setup & workflow design

Implemented a structured tracking system for daily production, change order approvals, and NTE limits. Created standardized invoice templates aligned to client billing portals.

3
Weeks 6–10: Closeout package standardization

Built a repeatable closeout process — OTDR documentation, as-built packages, and splice records organized into a structured digital workflow. Reduced delivery time from 5 weeks to under 2.

4
Weeks 11–12: KPI reporting & handoff

Delivered monthly operations report with billing status, outstanding receivables, change order log, and project KPIs. Team trained on maintaining the system going forward.

Measurable impact in 90 days

$74K
Total revenue recovered
100%
Change orders submitted & tracked
68%
Faster closeout delivery
$0
Unbilled completed work at end of engagement

"The first invoice they helped us submit was $47,000 that had been sitting there for months. That alone paid for a year of the service."

— Owner, fiber installation contractor (composite)

Is your operation leaving money on the table?

Most fiber contractors are. Let's find out how much — and get it back.

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* This case study is a composite representation based on common patterns observed across fiber optic contractor operations. Specific names and identifying details are not disclosed to protect client confidentiality.