© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
Creative Performance Inc.
Operations | Finance | Accounting | HR
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
• Vanessa, Entrepreneur, MBA
ü Professional Pilot, Jet + Helicopter
ü Former digital agency principal, CFO
ü Former WMJ client (deployed 2006)
ü $80K à $206K AGI/FTE post-deployment
ü Agency acquired in 2010
• President + Founder of CPI
• Portland, OR consultancy
• Team of specialists (Accounting, PM, Operations)
• Emphasis:
ü Principal consulting, R&R, Workflow, KPI Reports ü Workamajig Audits, Deployments, Redeploy ü Increasing Profit while protecting Creativity
ü People, Process + Technology
- Vanessa Edwards - Observations
- Utilization - Realization - Opportunity Cost - Harmony
- Agency Integrated Model - People - Process - Technology
- Next Steps
Speaker Profile
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
• Chaos vs. Controlled Chaos
ü Chaos is corrosive to Creativity ü Chaos is corrosive to Culture ü Well-oiled machines don’t work
• Agency Utilization
ü Employees not logging enough billable time ü Too much non-billable time ü Idle resources
• Agency Realization
ü Billable time is not getting billed to clients ü Scoping “shockwave” ü Over servicing
Observations
- Vanessa Edwards - Observations
- Utilization - Realization - Opportunity Cost - Harmony
- Agency Integrated Model - People - Process - Technology
- Next Steps
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
Something Tangible…
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
Annual Utilization Sample Agency
Revenue $5,200,000 Employees 48 AGI per FTE $108,000 Average hourly rate $150
Utilization Gap = $1,180,000
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
Annual Realization Sample Agency
Revenue $5,200,000 Employees 48 AGI per FTE $108,000 Average hourly rate $150
Realization Gap = $1,725,000
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
Opportunity Cost
Fee Revenue $5,200,000 Utilization Gap $1,180,000 Realization Gap $1,725,000 ------------------------------------------------------ Agency Fee Potential $8,105,000 AGI per FTE 108K à 169K
Sample Agency
Revenue $5,200,000 Employees 48 AGI per FTE $108,000 Average hourly rate $150
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
The “Harmonious” Agency
ü Clear vision that guides all decisions
ü Proven agency-wide methodology for servicing clients + measuring results
ü Deliver solutions that solve clients’ business problems
ü Complete cross-discipline collaboration
ü Healthy center of tension
ü Roles + responsibilities aligned with integrated Agency workflow + employee’s natural abilities
ü Systems that provide clean data + actionable insights
ü Culture of accountability
ü Profitability that fuels opportunity
ü Strong + vibrant culture
- Vanessa Edwards - Observations
- Utilization - Realization - Opportunity Cost - Harmony
- Agency Integrated Model - People - Process - Technology
- Next Steps
Harmony
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
The Agency Integrated Model
• Represents a proven approach to harmoniously balancing the myriad competing forces within a modern integrated marketing services organization
• Is a non-abstract (tangible) system that enables organizations to quickly operationalize their goals
ü Addresses chaos
ü Codifies workflows
ü Protects creativity
ü Improves profitability
ü Positively impacts culture
Agency Integrated Model
- Vanessa Edwards - Observations
- Utilization - Realization - Opportunity Cost - Harmony
- Agency Integrated Model - People - Process - Technology
- Next Steps
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
Vision
Solu*ons Profitability
People
Technology
Culture
Process
Agency Integrated Model
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
Agency Integrated Model
People
The cornerstone of any service based organization, the talent you hire (and retain) are integral to consistently delivering great strategy, creative and value. Having the right people, in the right place, aligned with their natural abilities, are key to long-term success.
Process
Often thought of as “kryptonite” to the creative process. In reality, well planned processes will remove barriers to creativity and help alleviate chaos… both poison to the creative process.
Technology
Often viewed as a “magic bullet” to an agency’s woes, software simply automates and accelerates either good (or bad) processes. Make sure your organization is properly prepared for the financial and emotional investment of an integrated solution.
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
PEOPLE
ü Unified vs. fractured Project Management discipline
ü Employees’ natural abilities aligned with roles
ü Clearly defined roles + responsibilities
ü R&R mapped to Agency’s workflow
ü Efficient communication w/out duplication of effort
ü Effective distribution of workload to manage burnout
ü Clean + measurable data linked to performance
ü Well-defined employee development paths
ü Culture of accountability vs. pass-the-buck
Agency Integrated Model
- Vanessa Edwards - Observations
- Utilization - Realization - Opportunity Cost - Harmony
- Agency Integrated Model - People - Process - Technology
- Next Steps
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
PROCESS
ü Clearly defined Agency workflows:
• Agency of Record • Retainer • Program / Campaign • Project
ü Workflows aligned with Agency’s creative process
ü System for scoping that includes Project Management + Subject Matter Experts
ü Consistent cross-discipline collaboration + communication
ü Well-defined routing + review practices
ü Documented hand offs, check-ins + approvals integrated into workflows + responsibilities
ü Practices that promote a healthy Agency center of tension
Agency Integrated Model
- Vanessa Edwards - Observations
- Utilization - Realization - Opportunity Cost - Harmony
- Agency Integrated Model - People - Process - Technology
- Next Steps
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
TECHNOLOGY
ü Accurate data to drive actionable insights
ü Agency ‘Realization Gap’ data by client, project, service, employee + reason
ü Utilization data by agency, dept. + employee
ü Client profitability data inclusive of investment costs
ü Precise + detailed data for financial planning + analysis
ü Improved accuracy of program scoping + pricing
ü Effective communication + collaboration across all disciplines + clients
ü Efficient + accurate workload balancing to increase agency utilization
ü Accelerated operational feedback loop to make data-driven decisions
ü Increased efficiency within creative workflow
Agency Integrated Model
- Vanessa Edwards - Observations
- Utilization - Realization - Opportunity Cost - Harmony
- Agency Integrated Model - People - Process - Technology
- Next Steps
© 2014 Creative Performance Inc. All Rights Reserved
NEXT STEPS
ü Reclaim your Agency’s Vision
ü Identify your core profitable capabilities + align them with your reignited Vision
ü Design Agency workflows for AORs, Retainers + Programs, incorporating checks + balances
ü Perform behavioral profile testing for all employees to identify natural strengths + weaknesses
ü Clarify + define Agency roles + responsibilities; map to behavioral profiles + integrated workflows
ü Implement Project Management + Accounting best practices into technology workflow
ü Identify + resolve data gaps for Agency metrics, e.g. Utilization, Realization + Client Profitability
ü Empower all disciplines to create a healthy center of tension within the Agency
Agency Integrated Model
- Vanessa Edwards - Observations
- Utilization - Realization - Opportunity Cost - Harmony
- Agency Integrated Model - People - Process - Technology
- Next Steps