Software Evaluation
Agency Management Software solutionsAdvertising Agency Management Software Evaluation
Maximizing the efficiency of your advertising agency or marketing department through automation and process streamlining offers numerous advantages, including:
- Increased productivity and efficiency in every department.
- Reduced margin for errors, minimizing both time and monetary costs
- Increased access to management information to aid in making important decisions.
- Added value to your clients, which makes you more competitive.
Preparing a needs assessment is crucial for selecting the right software for any organization. It helps to identify and evaluate specific requirements, goals, and challenges. See the Needs Assessment section below.
Needs Assesment
Where to Begin
We highly recommend developing an internal team that includes a representative of all roles within an agency:
- Account Management
- Creative
- Finance
- IT
- Media
- New Business
- Project Management
This internal team would be responsible for evaluating and providing feedback for their particular area. After a decision on the software is made, the internal team would continue to be involved in the implementation process to ensure their team’s needs are met during the initial setup and any future enhancements. They would also have insight into the decision and be able to communicate that to current and future team members. Ultimately, the team leaders would be “cheerleaders” for the system they help decide upon.
Evaluation Checklist
There are many factors to take into consideration when evaluating software. Here are some essential things to consider.
Financial Management
Confirm if the software supports budget creation, expense tracking, invoicing, payment options, and financial reporting functionalities. If you are a full-service agency providing media planning and buying, does the system automatically and correctly handle the prebilling, post-billing, and reconciliation accounting entries? How customizable are accounts receivable invoice formats?
User Interface
The main objective of an agency’s management system is to provide an easy-to-use and intuitive platform for tasks such as financial reporting, time tracking, project tracking, resource allocation, etc. In the past, we have observed numerous instances where companies chose to switch their system because the account and creative teams were not satisfied with the design and interface of the system, even if it was fulfilling the accounting team’s requirements.
Accessibility
Today, most software is accessible via a browser or remote access. It is important to confirm how the software is accessed and whether the PC and Mac platforms have full functionality.
Scalability
Ensure the software can accommodate the growth of your agency’s client base and workload over time.
Customization
Verify if the software offers flexibility to adapt to your agency’s unique workflows and processes.
Integration
Check for seamless integration with your agency’s tools and platforms, such as media planning and buying.
Client Management
Check if the software enables centralized management of client information, communication history, project details, documents, and billing information.
Project Management
Ensure the software facilitates efficient organization and tracking of projects, including task assignments, timelines, and resource allocation.
Collaboration Tools
Evaluate the collaboration features, such as shared calendars, file sharing, proofing, and real-time messaging, to enhance teamwork and communication in a centralized system.
Analytics and Reporting
Confirm if the software provides robust analytics and reporting capabilities to gain insights into key metrics related to project timelines, resource utilization, and profitability reporting of clients, projects, and staff. Most systems have standard reports. Check if custom reporting options are available within the system. If they do not, it may be possible to do so through API with a third-party report writer. Keep in mind that additional fees may be required to utilize the API and for licensing a third-party report writer.
Customer Support
Assess the level of customer support provided, including responsiveness to inquiries and effectiveness in resolving issues. Not all support options are the same. Some offer primarily email support or a combination of phone and email. Are there support resources such as online help and videos? Keep in mind the support provided is to cover the “software.” Not your operational processes and accounting practices.
Cost
Calculate the total licensing cost, considering upfront costs, subscription fees, training fees, and additional expenses for add-on features or user licenses.
Agency Management Software Solutions to Consider
We have expertise in both software and the advertising and marketing industry it serves. We understand the advantages and competencies of our software partners and can help you make the best choice for your company and team. Although we have identified our top partners, we are open to exploring other systems to find your perfect fit.