Success Story
Operations
CLIENT: M.O. INC. COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION
OWNER: FRANKLIN ANDERSON JR.
ANNUAL SALES: $9 MILLION
LOCATION: JONESBORO, GEORGIA
FOUNDED: 1978
SITUATION-AT-A-GLANCE
Based in Metro Atlanta and servicing the entire Southeast, M.O. Inc. (MO) is a leader in Class A & B office renovations, retail renovations and ground-up construction. The firm was founded in 1978 by Franklin Anderson Sr. and is now led by his son, Franklin Anderson Jr.
When MO first met with Ascent Consulting in 2017, the company was experiencing unpredictable project performance; they were unable to accurately predict the financial outcome of projects; and their technology systems were not being used effectively by the Operations team.
THE CHALLENGES
Given the growth of MO’s operations in recent years, Ascent Consulting determined that:
- The company had outgrown their original processes and framework
- They needed to redesign Project Management & Operations to perform at an elevated level of functionality and efficiency
- A major factor impacting all of MO’s operations was a technology bottleneck that was undermining efficiency, preventing visibility across the organization
- The MO staff needed to be thoroughly trained on new company software solutions and fully understand their technology’s ability to enhance staff performance at all levels
TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGE
Before Ascent’s arrival, MO had put several technology tools in place, but they were not being used effectively by the Operations team and were not contributing to the company’s success. Ascent worked with MO to develop and introduce solutions in the technology arena:
- Upgraded the functionality of MO’s estimating software • Developed a method to convert bid information to construction budgets
- Trained the staff on proper use of their Construction Management software
- Developed step-by-step training and operations manuals to help ensure consistent processes, performance and results
- Added a new timekeeping software solution that allowed employees and contractors to assign their time to different jobs and activities
The team at Ascent Consulting took the time to understand our business and design customized solutions that have truly made a difference for our organization.
ACHIEVING GOALS
MO and Ascent developed a Standardized Project Management Methodology that was customized to the company’s operations and software tools. Ascent worked with the MO team to ensure that industry best practices were merged with MO’s methods of project management and delivery.
Ascent provided detailed training and documentation of this new Methodology to help ensure its usage across the organization. The use of enhanced technology was a key part of this process.
Today, MO’s methodology delivers:
- Real-time financial visibility
- Proactive management of projects for improved profitability
- Efficient processes that have streamlined and, in some cases, eliminated wasteful activities
SUCCESS
By early 2018, technology issues had been resolved and Ascent had trained MO’s Project Managers on the software, as well as project management essentials and core functionalities.
MO now has a comprehensive and repeatable methodology to take projects from Award through Closeout in a logical and profitable manner.
They have clearly identified and defined all the tasks involved in the construction and project management processes.
MO has successfully communicated its new processes, roles and responsibilities across the organization and has navigated the change process with full adoption by all stakeholders.
Project Managers are now proactive in planning their project’s schedule, workforce and core activities, and have increased capacity to manage the unique aspects of their projects. They are utilizing Construction Management software uniformly across the company. Labor and material cost management strategies have been developed and implemented, and accurate cost reporting and forecasting are in place.
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I now have the tools I need to make educated and informed decisions at the project and corporate level, and my staff is more organized and effective in delivering projects to our customers.
BOTTOM LINE
After working with Ascent, MO is now enjoying a measurable increase in efficiency and profitability. In addition, the company has implemented better reporting systems, which allows MO’s owner to make more informed financial decisions. Finally, more efficient operations mean that MO can now handle a greater workload without adding staff.
