How Web Agencies Benefit From Time Tracking
Published: 15/05/2022
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With this article, we hope to reach managers, owners and project managers of web agencies. Time tracking is an element crucial for the proper functioning of an agency, yet we still come across businesses excluding it from their strategy. Our goal is to prove to you that a time tracking solution is among the core components of a digital agency’s tool stack.
It may come off as a surprise, but there are web agencies out there that don’t track their time. Some claim it’s not part of their culture, implying their approach to teamwork is built on trust. Others make an excuse that the team is too small, suggesting there’s already holistic visibility of everyone’s contribution and progress. And finally, some say they simply don’t care. If your agency is guilty of using one of these objections, we strongly recommend you read this article.
Simply put, the excuses you use not to track time are just that - excuses. What’s worse is that not implementing time tracking in your project management process doesn’t only mean missed opportunities. It can lead to financial losses due to overservicing, damaged relationships because of inaccurate estimates and finally clients lost over missed deadlines caused by poorly utilised staff and resources. So, whether you’re the one hesitant about starting to track time or if you are trying to get the management buy-in, we are going to have a deep dive into why should you adopt and digitalise this practice.
According to Statista, there are three key challenges web agencies face: communication (18%), project management (17%), and performance tracking (13%). What’s more, issues in these departments are known to drain your finances year in and year out. While they may appear as issues originating from different parts of the business and therefore have nothing in common, they are actually closely related. And therefore they can all be addressed with just one solution.
Having visibility of where your team’s time go is brilliant for all three shortcomings. Transparency naturally contributes to more open communication as everyone is on the same page. Project management is highly dependent on time frames, therefore keeping track of its use is crucial when making forecasts and allocating the workforce. And knowing how much time certain tasks take is hands down one of the foundation KPIs for evaluating the performance. Still not convinced most of your challenges can be addressed with something as simple as time tracking? Let us dig a little deeper…
Now that we have outlined key issues agencies face when they have no visibility of their time expenditure, let’s talk about the key benefits. Time tracking improves the functioning of multiple departments in different ways and is a handy tool for aligning the teams together. Additionally, it helps you optimise your processes, both internally and externally, leading to higher productivity and improved client satisfaction.
The reason we’ve mentioned client satisfaction is that we know that there’s nothing more important to web agencies than the people and companies they serve. Adopting a good time tracking tool can help you take the quality of service you offer to the next level. Having clear visibility of how much time certain tasks take your team, you will be able to provide the clients with more accurate estimates, leading to no unpleasant surprises and therefore building trust. You will also be put in a position to utilise your workforce better as individual strengths and weaknesses normally reflect on how much time individual workers need for particular tasks.
If you’re working with contractors, a time management system can be very beneficial in keeping track of their activity, progress and deliverables. Finally, the awareness of your team’s time expenditure can fix the issue many agencies run into that, in a long run, accumulates to giant financial losses - overservicing. Clarity and set boundaries when it comes to time largely serve to improve the service you provide to your clients, but it also works to your advantage.
The area of the business that utilises time tracking software and the benefits from it the most is, undeniably, project management. Visibility and knowledge of what are time estimates across tasks lead to better project schedules. With deadlines in sight, it becomes easier for the project manager to prioritise the tasks based on their difficulty, importance and time required for completion. The insights accumulated over time are also a great analysis material - easy comparisons highlight potential weaknesses within the process that can then be addressed.
Also, feeding back into preventing overservicing, time tracking helps project managers avoid the infamous scope creep. Having clear time estimates helps with defining project boundaries, therefore harnessing potential uncontrolled expansion of the scope as the project progresses. Whether it’s assigning tasks, forecasting potential roadblocks or ensuring the flow of the project is as smooth as it can get, the insights gathered through time tracking are of gold’s value for project management. And the best part is that there’s no end to valuable data for every analysis that can be used to identify long-term patterns that project managers would otherwise have no access to.
Now that we have established that a time tracking tool is an absolute must-have for a web agency, it’s important to highlight not every tool is made equal. If you want to reap the most benefit out of your software at the lowest cost, we strongly recommend getting a web-based platform. As opposed to a traditional application you’d need to install across company devices, this type of solution, primarily, caters to easy access. If you work with remote workers or function as a hybrid office, this alone should be a deal breaker. But if you aren’t convinced just yet, let’s look at other advantages a web-based tool has.
Despite the wide range of functionality they offer, web-based time tracking tools are normally very budget-friendly over the simple fact they don’t require complicated setup processes. Usually, you create the account, log into the software and are able to use it from the get-go. Since it’s all based on the cloud, no additional hardware is needed to support it either.
Depending on how tech-savvy your team is and whether you’re pursuing any custom integrations, you might need some support in getting the platform up and running. Additionally, if you have very unique requirements for how it needs to run, it’s a good idea to ask the vendor for implementation help. Most cloud-based time software providers have designated teams of specialists that know their product inside out and are therefore capable to implement it to meet your needs. While most charge for it as a separate service, the good news is that the process is also very quick and once it’s set, you most likely won’t need to change it ever again. Some vendors also follow the implementation up with a free training program for your team.
As discussed in the opening paragraph, SaaS platforms (software-as-a-service) are best known for their accessibility. As long as the end-user has an internet browser, they can enter the platform from anywhere in the world, using any device. Some companies tailor their browser-based product to be mobile-friendly, while others design mobile app versions of the software. What’s also important is that the platform can be accessed by multiple users simultaneously, allowing them to collaborate in real-time. There might be limitations in regards to how many users can use the software at once, but the numbers depend on the vendor and the package.
It is also known that cloud-based solutions are safer when it comes to data. Simply put, instead of being stored on your company’s server, the data you either import or collect through the software is stored on the cloud server. This means that if there’s a hacker attack or data breach in your company, your files won’t be easily accessed nor permanent deleted. Of course, cloud systems aren’t 100% impenetrable, but they take data security extremely seriously and therefore tend to update their protocols often. Prior to purchasing software, we strongly recommend familiarising yourself with the company’s SLA and data handling clauses.
Some time tracking solutions can be pricey from the get-go. Some ride on the cheap version of a limited basic solution but charge a fortune on often vital add-ons. And some scale with you. Whichever model you choose depends on your budget and financial forecasts, but rest assured - there is always ROI. The reason behind it rests within the old saying of ‘time is money’. Time tracking software gives you a tangible financial estimate of your time, and therefore it paints a clear picture of what drains your budget.
At Timesheet Portal, we thought long and hard to come up with the pricing level that would serve well any business, no matter its size or age. This is why we came up with the model in which you only pay for what you need. Our basic functionality is not just affordable for startups and small businesses, but actually at a competitive price - with no limitations when it comes to the quality it provides.
Since we work with a variety of businesses, including those with seasonal fluctuations, our web-based time tracking software can be as easily downgraded as upgraded. We understand the functionality we offer is diverse and therefore not every company needs it, thus instead of forcing pre-made packages, we encourage our clients to build their unique software. If further down the line they need to expand the features they use or get rid of the ones that no longer fulfil their needs - they just need to let us know. At the end of the day, Timesheet Portal has been built to scale and adapt to you - not the other way around.
A web agency that doesn’t track its time is at a major disadvantage. However, the awareness of where the time goes has nothing to do with the employer’s or client’s lack of trust. It is a tool for the agency to utilise in order to perfect its performance and services. From better workforce allocation to more accurate estimates, data collected by simply tracking time is crucial for reducing overservicing and building the reputation of a credible and reliable firm.
We understand that a saturated market of timekeeping solutions is daunting and can therefore make it difficult to choose the right software. While ultimately you should go for a solution that resonates with your agency’s unique needs and work style, we strongly recommend choosing a web-based time tracking tool. Unlike traditional software, it can be used almost instantly upon purchase and caters to more uses than simply recording time while being offered at a lesser price. It is not bound to locations and devices, therefore is perfect if you’re utilising the outsourced workforce.
Timesheet Portal is one such solution. And you can try us out for free.