{"id":1515,"date":"2016-03-28T18:49:17","date_gmt":"2016-03-28T18:49:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.binfire.com\/?p=1515"},"modified":"2016-03-28T18:49:17","modified_gmt":"2016-03-28T18:49:17","slug":"project-management-software-for-agencies-finding-binfire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.binfire.com\/blog\/project-management-software-for-agencies-finding-binfire\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding a Project Management software for Digital Agencies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Get organized or you are (in a) soup. This is true for those in marketing as well as technical fields. You as a marketer, need to find good project management software<\/a> for digital agencies to survive.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ask any agency team member, ” How is Life?”. Chances are that you would hear the above if they were not organized.<\/span><\/p>\n

Agencies are crazy maddening places. I do not have data handy. But, I would not be surprised if a global heat map of stress, would highlight agency offices across the world. I may be exaggerating this, but it is the truth. Always-on deadlines, goof-ups, coordination, client emergencies ensure that everything is in a state of turmoil, all the time. Being organized could definitely mellow down the stress rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"project<\/span><\/p>\n

In comes, project management software<\/a> for agencies.<\/span><\/p>\n

A ‘flexible’ project management software could drastically improve the quality of life of agencies and their team members.<\/span><\/p>\n

But deciding on a project management software isn’t easy. On the weekend, I spoke to an agency partner running a 75-person-strong team that decided to change its existing project management software (a leading software product) to a new-age product built specifically for agencies. {‘Built specifically for agencies”, you must be kidding me}. On the last count, there must have been as many agencies in the world, as the number of people, each with their own quirks and requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n

The title of the best guide to selecting a project management software for digital agencies might read like this, “The ten thousand must-have features agencies need in a project management software for digital agencies<\/strong>“.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having said so, deciding on an appropriate project management software for digital agencies is key. At Inbound Mantra, we are currently working on 3 different project management software products to determine what makes sense for an agile inbound marketing agency like ours. We are using the following framework to make a logical decision. The emotional people that we are, I do not know if, in the end, the decision is an emotional one. Until that moment, the following framework applies.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to choose project management software for Digital Agencies<\/span><\/h2>\n

The framework is shaped by two key Vectors – Client Deliverables and Agency Imperatives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Client Deliverable<\/span><\/h3>\n

No client, No agency. Right? Well, very true. This is pretty much the scenario, all across.<\/span><\/p>\n

Client delivery is sacred. Any software product for project management has to institutionalize the delivery of client objectives. Period. It is a non-negotiable requirement. Even if such a project management software enforces processes, different from those normally adhered to.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clients are typically interested in two things – outcomes and\/or output, depending on the terms of the engagement. Thus, clients would like to see outcomes, the output of the highest quality in a timely manner. This will keep the clients in good spirits. But, to truly enchant your client, you would like to do what we would like to do – show them how it is done, in a transparent and open manner.<\/span><\/p>\n

The project management software for digital agencies has to enable this enchantment. This could be a real-time project access facility for clients through periodic reporting dashboards.<\/span><\/p>\n

From a feature perspective, email integration is vital to address the communication requirements of (some) clients.<\/span><\/p>\n

Digital Agency Imperatives<\/span><\/h3>\n

This is a long list, usually derived from three key factors.<\/span><\/p>\n