When it comes to the telecommunications, merchant services, and small package shipping industries, contracts and prices are ever changing. Unless you’re dedicated to managing these services full-time, how can you be sure you’re paying exactly what you should?

That’s why Schooley Mitchell Strategic-Partner Zach Madrigal takes it personally when going about finding savings.

“In any of our careers, you get people saying ‘well, I could do that myself,’” Madrigal said. “But this is what we do, all day, every day.”

Take, for example, one of Madrigal’s happy clients: a pool construction company. Schooley Mitchell’s initial value report for them reported $38,000 in total savings on their wireless, but unbeknownst to us they ended up purchasing additional telecom equipment under the impression that they were getting a great deal.

“We circled back with them and did another value report,” Madrigal said. “Not only were they not getting much in savings out of the new equipment, but they had over 40 phone lines that hadn’t been used in months.”

This client’s savings jumped from $38,000 to $44,000 after the second value report — overall 65% savings on their wireless alone.

“If you asked me to build a pool, I would suck at it,” Madrigal said. “But cost reduction is what we do.”

Schooley Mitchell is the largest cost-reduction consulting firm in North America, with offices from coast-to-coast in the United States and Canada. On average, Schooley Mitchell reduces their client’s expenses by 27-28% in several different categories and have delivered over $320 million in documented savings to over 20,000 clients to date.

Prior to joining Schooley Mitchell, Madrigal worked in medical device and pharmaceutical sales and business process outsourcing. He also had a long career in sales management.

“Eventually I got into the financial component — specifically looking at financials and how these changes and products would benefit their facilities and lead to cost-reductions,” he said.

Cost-reduction stuck with him, and when he wanted to start his own business, Madrigal had four main things he was looking for.

“I wanted something that was transparent, I wanted something that was contingency-based, I wanted something where I had a long term relationship with my clients, and I didn’t want to sell anything I was skeptical about,” he said. “Schooley Mitchell’s value proposition is crystal-clear.”

For Madrigal, Schooley Mitchell let him embrace his inner entrepreneur and become his own boss.

“I’m working harder than I think I’ve ever worked in my entire life, but at the end of the day, I’m working for me. Schooley Mitchell has given me more opportunities to make decisions every day. Whether they’re good or bad, I get to make them,” he said.

In his free time, Madrigal loves spending time with his family and giving back to his community. He belongs to a group called Neighbours helping Neighbours — a local non-profit designed around stepping up to help your community.

“We’re a hands-on group. For example, we do a lot of ramp building for people in wheelchairs or with walkers that can’t use stairs,” said Madrigal. “We did Shop with a Cop last year and we raised $80,000 to help kids have a happy holiday season.” Zach Madrigal, Strategic-Partner

As a cancer survivor himself, Madrigal also gives support to children through Imerman Angels — a one-on-one cancer support group. He also participates in two separate head and neck cancer support groups at MD Anderson in Mesa, Arizona as well as HonorHealth in Scottsdale.

“I make it a very high priority. I set up calls every week to talk to them when they’re going through radiation and chemotherapy until they’re about two months out,” he said. “I feel like I’m very blessed and the more I can help the better I feel.”

If Madrigal could have prospective clients understand one thing about his business, it’s that working with Schooley Mitchell is not a one-and-done experience.

“We become their trusted advisors. We want to be considered part of their team. It’s an ongoing commitment, and when we start optimizing and making improvements, we’re there for you in the long term,” he said.

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