Center for Business, Industry & Labor

              cbil.org

Partners for Business Performance

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Project Management - Planning for Results

Amanda Sizemore describes her function as a Project Manager at the Center for Business, Industry & Labor as “one-stop shopping” for her clients.

“I am the one person a company can call to get assistance with a variety of needs, from producing training manuals to integrating their IT system,” Sizemore said.

Since coming to CBIL in 1990, Sizemore has partnered with a diverse group of clients to maximize their efficiency and profit margins. She has worked with various industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, service, and transportation.

“I worked with a small, seven-person chemical company, which needed to become ISO registered,” Sizemore said. “Their customers were requesting they do so, and it was either get registered or face the potential of losing business. We were able to work with them to define specific needs, which would promote their goal of becoming ISO registered. An ISO consultant and a technical writer were assigned to work with company staff to address the specific needs that were identified. This company passed their registration audit the first time to become ISO certified.”

In addition to working with small companies, Sizemore worked as part of a CBIL team to address long-term needs of a major transportation company. This company acquired a competitor and needed help with the integration of the two companies.

“They were bringing in a huge company and simultaneously building brand new facilities to house everyone,” Sizemore said. “They didn’t have the space or the infrastructure to facilitate all the changes going on. That’s where CBIL came in. We did process documentation, multiple levels of customer service training, assessment projects and some performance consulting, among other things. Often it’s very helpful to a company to have an objective, neutral third party oversee such projects so as not to overlook anything critical that could have expensive repercussions in the long run. Internal people may be so close to the problem that finding the right solution is a problem.”

Sizemore is quick to emphasize that the key is to work very closely with the client.

“We observe, we listen, we discuss. We strive to build relationships with our clients, so that as their needs develop and change they feel comfortable contacting us to discuss how together we can address their needs,” Sizemore said.

A case in point is the large local grocery chain that had outgrown its bakery and fresh food preparation facilities. CBIL helped the store transition from a very low-tech environment to a state-of-the-art, cutting edge operation by establishing standardized operating procedures and developing a training program for use of the new equipment. In addition, the CBIL team provided training in support of company cost and cycle time reduction efforts. With all of that comfortably in place, the company now has returned to CBIL for help with implementing a quality system for their operation.

As a project manager, Sizemore’s goal is to help companies reach their goals. She carefully builds a team of associates that will be a good match for a particular company’s needs, and then continues to work with that team to ensure the smooth implementation of the plan. She also helps clients research funding options for their projects.

“We have a myriad of resources for companies that want or need something they themselves don’t have the time or internal resources to fulfill,” Sizemore said. “CBIL makes it easier for companies to reach their goals.”