Newsroom

As always, we thank our new customers for their support and business and anticipate that many others will be joining the ranks of our satisfied customers in the near future.

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission – Schumaker & Company has been awarded a contract for Operations Consultant for the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Staff in a stratified management and operations audit of Pennsylvania American Water. Work to commence in June 2007. In this capacity, Schumaker & Company will work directly with Commission staff to perform a diagnostic review assessing the condition of each functional area or business unit against evaluative criteria or expected business practice. These analyses are of sufficient depth to provide specific recommendations for changes together with projected costs and potential dollar savings or other quantifiable benefits, if any.

Specifically, it is intended that the management audit encourage economies, efficiencies or improvements which benefit the utility and its ratepayers and identify which, if any, cost saving measures can be instituted. The ultimate purpose is to explore economically practical opportunities for giving ratepayers lower rates and/or better service.

Wayne County Airport Authority, Michigan – Schumaker & Company is providing services to assist the Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) Technology Services Division in identifying technology business initiatives and updating its annual five-year performance plan at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

This project involves assessing WCAA’s technology and service needs for all 30+ divisions, plus identifying the impact of airport and/or business trends on operations, as a means to identify WCAA’s technology initiatives planned for the next five (5) years.

State of Michigan – Schumaker & Company is conducting an assessment of the operational and managerial aspects of the Office of General Counsel for the Office of Financial and Insurance Services (OFIS). Interviews with key management personnel for on-site analysis will consist of reviews of the organization and chief processes for which each key person is responsible, as well as discussions of any areas of particular interest.

A well balanced report that reflects both areas which hold opportunity for operational and financial improvement and those areas which demonstrate exemplary management and operation effectiveness was written and delivered.

They Might Not be Giants – The Redmond Channel Partner Online news of May 18, 2006 published an article by Anne Stuart, the executive editor of Redmond Channel Partner magazine titled They Might Not be Giants speaking to the small business strategies of some Microsoft partners. One of those firms included in the article was Schumaker & Company, Inc. The following represents that excerpt:

Patricia and Dennis Schumaker,
Schumaker & Co., Ann Arbor, Mich.
When Patricia Schumaker founded her eponymous IT and operations consulting firm in 1986, the company had just two employees (the second was her husband Dennis). They're keenly aware that they're selling their reputations. "When you have your last name tied to the business, people expect something different in the way of service. We're not XYZ Corp.," says Patricia Schumaker, the company's president. "It's much easier to control your reputation when you're a 10-person firm than when you're a 50-person firm."

For that reason, they've kept the company relatively small. Over the past two decades, the company, a Microsoft Certified Partner, has employed up to 15 people; currently, eight full-time equivalents handle the firm's work.

Dennis Schumaker, the firm's executive vice president, calls the current payroll the perfect size for the collaborative culture that's been a company hallmark. "When you're all working in one big room, there's no need to have staff meetings. You all know what's going on," he says. "As you grow, you start to get involved in office politics."

To keep headcount low, the Schumaker's require all employees to share in administrative tasks. "Our philosophy has been that you can work people down, but you can't work them up," Dennis Schumaker says. "You can take consultants and have them do their own copying and word processing, but you can't take somebody who just does word processing and make them a consultant." They also require all employees to contribute billable hours, he adds: "We're a consulting firm, you don't make money when people are in the office. They have to be out at client sites."

The fastest-growing consulting firms tend to concentrate on serving just one or two big accounts, and "if those clients go away, they crash and burn real quickly," Dennis Schumaker says. So Schumaker & Co. maintains a stable of customers in different industries, including state government, utilities and telecom companies. That diversity allows them to weather periodic downturns without cutting staff. When business is booming, they bring in contractors.

The Schumaker's haven't ruled out the possibility of increasing headcount to 20 or even 25 employees, "but so far, we've opted not to do that," Patricia Schumaker says. "If we do go that route, it will be controlled growth."

Business Continuity – The Executive Renaissance Forums Fall 2003 newsletter, The Forum, has published an article by Ms. Gail Stopar, Consultant and our firm's Business Development Manager, titled Business Continuity: Security Starts Within. Ms. Stopar has 20 plus years of business and personnel management, corporate and academic training, software engineering, and technical writing experience in the computer, banking, and automotive industries. She has comprehensive experience leading documentation and training areas, composing, editing, and maintaining documents, databases, web sites and spreadsheets. Her experience has demonstrated her ability to interact and communicate effectively across all organizational levels; develop and teach employees, management, and public courses; work independently or as part of a team; prioritize and problem-solve effectively during crunch times and/or while multi-tasking; and service both internal and external customers.

The first paragraph of the article appears in the box below. To read the complete article (PDF format), found on the front cover of The Forum, click the NEW icon.

Business recovery happens much more frequently within an organization than you may think. Sure, we've all heard about disruptions and continuity problems occurring during natural disasters, theft, computer viruses, and now terrorism. But there exists a much more passive calamity - just waiting in the wings of all companies. Most likely, we have all experienced it at one time or another and to some degree or another, but have not addressed it as a business continuity and security issue. I'm talking about business process workflow from one employee to another, one department to another, or one office to another.

Internal Microsoft Office Training Classes – We continually put our staff through a series of internal training classes on the utilization of the advanced features of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Power Point, Outlook, and Project. (For example: Do you know how to automatically merge documents, add numbering to chapters, and generate a table of contents and exhibits in three minutes?) It is our belief that this continuing training of our consultants in advanced software capabilities makes them more efficient and capable, thereby rendering them as more valuable to our clients. We can customize a training package at any level of expertise for your company in any of the Microsoft products. Please contact us if you are interested in exploring this option.

Microsoft Customer Satisfaction Survey – Microsoft Program Certified and Gold Certified Partners were recently invited to participate in an exclusive event affording Schumaker & Company the opportunity to gain insight into our own customer base. The Microsoft sponsored Customer Satisfaction Survey (distributed by a third party vendor so Microsoft sees only the aggregated results, not the customer contact lists or individual customer’s data) is a new benefit that allowed us to survey and measure customer satisfaction with partners’ services and solutions. Of 19 customers surveyed, Schumaker & Company's overall satisfaction and loyalty NSAT (a standard for measuring customer satisfaction based on the overall satisfaction' scores where NSAT = ('Very Satisfied' - ('Somewhat Dissatisfied' + 'Very Dissatisfied')) + 100) rating was the best possible at "Very Satisfied."

Windows 2003 Upgrade – We have recently upgraded our internal network to the Windows 2003 platform, including the migration of our internal communications system to Exchange 2003. Our initial experience has been very positive in terms of speed, capability, and stability. If you are interested in exploring the potential for upgrading your office network, please contact us.

Web Site Changes Coming – This site was designed and constructed by our in-house staff and we think that they have done a great job. However, we are continually evaluating your comments and suggestions about its use and will be revising our navigation methods to make them more consistent. We have tried to make it a viable communication tool and source of information for our clients, our consultants, and for the general public. It is our intention that it be easy to navigate and replete with up-to-date information about Schumaker & Company. Please continue to provide us with your comments and suggestions.

Diversity Award: March, 2005 – In recognition of the economic power of multicultural businesses, DiversityBusiness.com, the nations leading multicultural internet site, recently named Schumaker & Company, Inc. as one of the top 100 diversity-owned businesses in Michigan (Div100) and stated that "Schumaker & Company has distinguished their firm as one of the top entrepreneurs in the country and most deserving of this award and recognition."

The Div100 is the 6th annual listing of the Nation's top 100 diversity-owned businesses. Ranging in revenue size, the companies listed on the Div100 represent the Nation's top multicultural earners and challenge the long-held notion that a diversity-owned business is small or insignificant. Div100 members are sought after by major corporations wishing to increase spending with diversity owned companies.

Diversity Award: December, 2004 – Congratulations, Schumaker & Company, Inc. has been selected as a Top Owned Business by DiversityBusiness.com. With over 3 million diversity owned businesses in the country, you have distinguished yourself as one of the top entrepreneurs and are most deserving of this award and recognition.

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