The Short Answer
Potential savings are estimates identified during a review. Verified savings are confirmed after an action completes — a cancellation shows on a statement, a reduced bill arrives. SCGK & Co keeps the two distinct in every engagement.
Why the distinction matters
A review that reports potential savings as savings is reporting an intention, not an outcome. A subscription marked for cancellation still costs money until the cancellation is confirmed. A bill marked for renegotiation still bills at the old rate until the new rate appears on a statement.
Mixing the two categories produces inflated numbers — and inflated numbers erode trust in the entire process.
How verification works
Verification is simple and evidence-based: after an authorized action completes, the resulting statement is checked. A cancellation is verified when the charge stops. A bill reduction is verified when the new amount appears. Only then does a figure move from potential to verified.
A practical framework
- 01Record identified opportunities as potential — never as savings.
- 02Track each authorized action to completion.
- 03Verify the outcome on the next statement.
- 04Only then record the figure as a verified saving.
Common Mistakes
- —Counting an identified opportunity as a saving before anything was done.
- —Annualizing an unverified monthly reduction.
When Professional Assistance May Help
Every SCGK & Co engagement tracks this distinction by design — opportunities are labeled as potential until statements confirm otherwise.
Have a specific situation?
Tell us what you are trying to improve. We'll help identify the issue, determine the appropriate SCGK service, and outline the next step.