Best practice advice for Operations to ensure you plan effectively as an organisation, to provide both the best work for your clients and ensure you run your own agency effectively as a business as well. I've drawn on advice from various industry experts on the topics of tracking time, scope of work and over-servicing, outlining best practice recommendations and common pitfalls/challenges. This is from the point of view of a small independent owner-run agency, but draws on examples from my time at network media agencies as well.
This was presented at the conference BrightonSEO in September 2018: https://brightonseo.com/conference-talk/effective-planning-for-small-medium-agencies-consultancies/
4. Best practice inspired
and informed by:
My fuck ups
Other people’s fuck ups
We learn a lot from mistakes.
See everythingas an
opportunity for growth!
23. If you don't have the data, how can you
measure improvement?
Quite apart from the billing aspect, if a job is
longer than my forecast…I need to look at
why.
For repeated jobs, template it, automate it,
change the way its done so it's less time-
consuming.
If you aren't tracking time then you don't spot
this. If you don't spot this you can't correct
this.
Tim’s
nailedit…
@timdotstewart
27. Awordof
warning…
Tracking time is really
important but it is also a
double-edged sword.
If there's an over-zealous
approach to time tracking,
it can have a detrimental
impact on morale,
productivity and creativity…
But you can’t have a
carte blanche either…
28. Time
tracking
donepoorly.
Get it wrong, and time tracking is
nothing more than an
inconvenience for everyone.
Staff feel like they're being micro-
managed and spied on and that
can make people fearful.
It stifles creativity in some cases,
because people become so
conscious of tangible, physical
output and hours spent that
they're scared of "empty" hours
spent strategising or researching.
@staceycav
29. Time
tracking
donewell.
It should help prevent being
overworked or pushed by clients
and line managers.
And it should ultimately mean
that, as a team, everyone's
investing in the right areas to
deliver better results for clients.
It helps to be transparent about
what the data is there for and to
share findings and actions off the
back of it...
@staceycav
36. Awordof
warning…
Scope creep is a
common challenge.
If you’re drifting off course,
ask why?
Newopportunities?
Clientleadingus?
Unforeseen blockers?
If SOW needs changing,
acknowledge it in writing
– have a conversation first
Use timesheet data to
back your point
44. Awordof
warning…
Robust new business process
Establish compatibility – strategic needs, set up and values
Don’t discount
Strip back scope of work, but show them the dream!
Over-invest in first 1 – 3 months
On-boarding takes time! Recognise the value long term
Don’t forget project management
Industry standard: 20% project management time
Build in additional margin if there’s a complex structure
45. Reframeoverservicing
as“investment”.
See it as “new business”
What’s worth the investment long term? Look at
run rate and estimate over-servicing % per client
Lay track for clients
Show them where you want to go - fine balance
Show you care
Be proactive, interested and engaged with them
and their business
54. Havingaclear“why”
helpspeoplegiveashit…
Your why is why your staff get up and
come to work in the morning
It’s why they picked to work at your
business and not one of your competitors
It’s why they stick it out and come together
as a team when the shit hits the fan
57. Tasks
Actions focused on real world results
Processes
Across our services, internal & external
Strategy
What we offer
Clients
Fit our values?
Services
What do we want to famous for?
Culture
Beliefs & Behaviours
Why
Your“why”
canpower
everyaspect
ofyour
business…
Example“why”:
Goingaboveandbeyondforrealworldresults