Microsoft® Project greatly improved the company’s ability to manage more construction projects with fewer staff members. Adkim used between eight and nine employees to manage three projects in 1995. Increased use of Microsoft Project has enabled the company to manage nine projects in 1996 with only four employees, a productivity increase of nearly 600%.
Adkim President Norm Seff initially began to use Microsoft Project to help subcontractors improve their reliability in committing to scheduling dates. Before using Microsoft Project, Norm spent countless hours on the telephone contacting subcontractors and suppliers about any changes in schedule. This time-consuming method of communication was not always successful and often resulted in costly delays.
The number of follow-up telephone calls made to subcontractors and suppliers dropped from more than 60 per day to zero after Adkim linked Microsoft Project to an automatic fax notification system. Any changes in scheduling, such as delays due to weather or in receiving permits, can be instantly updated using Microsoft Project. All suppliers and subcontractors receive a detailed summary of changes to their schedules via a fax modem, which eliminates the need for telephone calls and subsequent questions.