|
Netlink International: out-of-the-box efficiency on the intranet At Netlink International, Inc., a computer integrator in St. Paul, an intranet anchored by Groupwise 5.2 serves as a data lifeline for 25 consultants and engineers. Before the firm installed the system last spring software engineers working off-site had to call the office to check their daily schedules and get directions to the next assignment. Now, using their client's desktop computers or a laptop, they can surf to the information they need. Web Access, an Internet gatekeeper that runs on Windows 95, NT or Unix servers, prompts them for a user ID and password and steers them to the appropriate database. "With this system we post calendar and scheduling information right on the Web, and they have access to it in an instant," says Netlink CEO Odeh Muhawesh. Groupwise also manages a document warehouse, and orchestrates workflow between headquarters and consultants working at client locations across the continent. Emancipated from the phone, fax and regular office hours, Netlink's engineers rack up 10 percent more billable hours than they did in 1996--a productivity gain worth an extra $250,000 in annual revenue. And the company has been able to hire five more engineers this year without padding its support staff. Muhawesh, a long-time Groupwise user, says he chose to upgrade to 5.2 because the program installs "out of the box" and is inexpensive to maintain. An IS staffer spends less than two hours a week writing new rules for e-mail and clearing our mailboxes. In comparison, opting for Lotus Notes would have required a full-time position (at $50,000-70,000 a year) to customize and maintain the system, he says.
|