A turtle person…

A… well, you get the point. I love creatures of all shapes and sizes.

This afternoon, I have the pleasure of dog-sitting my best friend’s cocker spaniel/dachshund mix, Peyton, for a few hours.
She’s been sniffing around the office, checking everything out. She’s even stretched out on my guest chair a few times and given the beanbag a try. (And you thought it was funny watching me get out of a beanbag!)

Some employers feel that having pets in the workplace decreases employee productivity. I disagree. While I’ll admit I’ve spent a few minutes hugging Peyton today, just having her around has lifted my mood. I’ve actually been more productive.

I think our office just might need a mascot. I wonder if an otter would like our kitchen sink?

Is it fame? In my 10+ years of traffic management, I’ve never once had someone stop me on the street and say, “Dawn Travelstead? I know you! You’re the Traffic Manager everyone is talking about!”

Is it respect? While I appreciate knowing my peers value me as a member of the team, I’ve never been one to covet respect from others. After all, aren’t we in this thing called, “advertising” together?

Is it fortune? How many Traffic Managers do you know who drive a Rolls-Royce? I’ll stick with my “soccer mom” mini-van, thank you very much.

Being part of something great.

That’s what motivates me. It’s not about the accolades or material things. It’s about being part of something bigger. It’s about knowing that my actions, day-in and day-out, affect not only the people around me, but this organization as a whole; whether positively or negatively is entirely up to me.

What’s YOUR motivation?

The traffic manager is responsible for scheduling and moving work along a Critical Path while the production manager is assigned tasks along said Path – estimating, buying and managing outside services, for example.

According to Tony Mikes, president of Second Wind Network, “The production manager is responsible for pricing all services the agency delivers, working with the various agency departments – creative, account service, public relations, media, interactive – in calculating in-house charges and requesting estimates from outside vendors.” Once gathered, the production manager compiles costs into an estimate. The estimate is then routed through the traffic manager and given to the account executive for client approval.

The traffic manager, on a daily basis, compiles a master workload schedule and talks with each employee, ensuring deadlines are met. This includes the production manager who confirms estimate, shipping and delivery dates.

The primary role of the production manager is to obtain the best possible prices from outside vendors. This requires building (and maintaining) strong business relationships and exploring unique opportunities. The traffic manager is strictly an inward-facing employee who works closely with all departments.

Now that you’ve a better feel for the separate roles of traffic and production, you can see why combining the two may not be the best option. Mikes states it best, “If the production manager is busy for most of the day, scheduling work and resolving conflicts, how can they honestly get the best possible price and delivery for the agency? If a traffic manager is not able to keep up with scheduling changes and new orders because they’re proofreading, estimating and expediting, the timelines and accuracy of the agency’s work will suffer.”

Being a small- to medium-size agency, you may not have the financial resources to divide the roles of traffic and production. You’re not alone. As your agency continues to grow, pay attention to the quality of work being produced by your traffic-production manager. If the increased work volume is impacting it, it may be time to consider a role division.

Throughout the review process, I’ve been intrigued by the broad spectrum of personalities involved. Now, more than ever, I believe that knowing employees on a personal level is critical to the success of the traffic department.

We’re all unique individuals. Numerous things motivate us and we each operate differently in the work environment. If you’re a traffic manager, step back for a moment and look at each member of your team. What do you really know about them? What do they value? What do they like to do in their spare time? What type of work ethic do they display?

By getting to know employees more closely, you gain an advantage as a traffic manager. You then know how to more quickly get the work done and how to reward employees in a meaningful way. Let me give you an example.

While the traffic manager of a medium-size agency, I worked with a designer named Christian. He was a pretty laid back guy who took pride in his work. He paid attention to detail and wasn’t afraid to ask questions, although most of the time he worked quietly at his desk. On the weekends, he loved to listen to music and spend time with his family. He’d been a part of the creative industry for many years so he knew how things worked. Although certainly a team player, Christian didn’t typically go “above and beyond” to help out around the office. He would help if asked, but didn’t volunteer.

Because I knew so much about Christian, I was able to more efficiently “traffic” him. I put tasks on his list as far out as possible. I knew he’d want a lot of job details (more than other designers), so I carefully gleaned requests and talked with the account executive(s) if anything was missing. Whenever possible, I included due times for tasks because he liked knowing that information. I also knew he needed to leave promptly at 5 p.m. each day to pick up his son, so I tried to give him a heads up if I thought something was going to take longer than usual. In the middle of a busy week, I might reward him with a $5 iTunes gift card just to say, “Thanks for working so hard!” While he didn’t seek approval from anyone, he liked knowing he was appreciated and that motivated him to work even harder.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you have to park yourself at an employee’s desk and ask a barrage of questions. You already know a lot of the answers. You simply have to take the time to step back and observe. Getting to know team members on a personal level will not only help you become a better traffic manager, but you’ll also gain the respect of your peers.

Embrace your role as a servant of the agency.

While the role of Traffic Manager carries with it a certain degree of “power,” it’s nonetheless a servant role. The agency doesn’t revolve around the Traffic Manager, rather s(he) is interwoven among the many people within the larger group. A Manager must think in terms of, “What can I do to help them do their jobs well?” not in terms of, “What are they doing wrong?” Being helpful may entail shifting deadlines or tracking down the estimate quantity. It may also mean physically walking from one department to another (as s(he) should already be doing) and asking, “Is there anything I can do to help you move things along?” Not only does this give the Traffic Manager insight into things that may not yet be in the system, but it also reaffirms (s)he is there to help everyone on the team.

Don’t choose sides.

It’s human nature to align oneself with individuals and groups. A Traffic Manager must remain impartial to not only people-related issues, but departments as well. While a Manager’s desk may be positioned in the creative department, for example, s(he) should dedicate an equal amount of time working with account service, media and interactive teams. If one department views the Traffic Manager as being aligned with another (i.e. “Always looking out for them,” “Protecting them from other departments,” etc.) it undermines the workflow structure and the influence of traffic.

Realize there are exceptions to the rules.

While Traffic Managers tend to be very linear in their thinking – step one, step two – they must also be flexible when it comes to the management of certain clients. A high-volume retail client, for example, may place ten different versions of an ad within a given week. It’d be nearly impossible to track each and every client-requested change (i.e. price point, locator, etc.) and enter them in the system. The Project Manager should be enabled to shepherd his/her project, in conjunction with the Traffic Manager. The Manager should allow him/her to speak directly with the artist regarding changes, for example, but ensure s(he) is made aware of the changes being routed.

Treat employees like individuals, not machines.

Happy employees are productive employees. A Traffic Manager should take a moment to ask Jason how his new dog is doing; ask Susan how the wedding plans are coming along. It’s important to establish personal connections with employees rather than constantly asking them if they’ve gotten their work done. If they know they’re respected as individuals, they’ll be much more inclined to work with traffic.

Understand employees don’t “want” to miss deadlines.

No one wakes up in the morning and thinks, “I’m going to miss three deadlines today and feel good about it.” Missed deadlines happen for a reason. It’s the Traffic Manager’s responsibility to determine why and, ultimately, preempt their being missed in the first place. S(he) must carefully monitor each employee’s workload and move deadlines – ideally, closer in not further out. Saying it’s the Manager’s job to ensure deadlines are met isn’t saying an employee(s) is absolved of any responsibility. It merely means a Traffic Manager should work with an employee(s) to ensure deadlines are met. If s(he) waits until Friday, expecting to receive copy, and finds it’s not done because the copywriter needed a phone number but didn’t take the time to ask, s(he) is as much at fault for missing the deadline.

Be proactive, not reactive.

When a Traffic Manager becomes reactive to missed deadlines, rather than proactive in avoiding them, s(he) becomes part of the problem… not the solution. It’s critical that a Manager think a project through from inception to completion, carefully analyzing what requirements the job may have (e.g. How long should I allow for a t-shirt embroidery sample? Is the delivery date going to fall on or around a holiday? How long will IT need to test the code and address any problems that may come up? Will the mailing list need to be re-formatted or edited in some way? What file type will the banner artwork have to go out in?). Thoroughly thinking a project through before building its timeline enables a Manager to be more proactive in pushing it through and eliminates future “crises.”

Don’t play “gotcha.”

It makes employees feel bad and, ultimately, can lead to their becoming even less productive – if not out of discouragement then merely to spite the Traffic Manager. S(he) will get a lot more work done by being a partner and sharing responsibility with employees than by being a hall monitor. No one likes a snitch – neither the people being “told on” nor the person hearing the complaints. Playing “gotcha” leads to an overall loss of respect for the Traffic Manager. Without the respect of peers, s(he) can’t effectively manage workflow and eventually becomes a distraction to others.

Half of our staff is out today, literally. During the summer months, our managing partner blesses us with “partner days.” We’re each paired with another employee and, on every other Friday, one of us has the day off.  What an incredibly productive move on her part.  I mean that, sincerely.

When I’m in the office on a partner day, my productivity increases exponentially. I’m focused, able to accomplish the little things that get put aside during the week and, with just a few clicks, in the loop on all of my partner’s projects. I don’t have to rummage through paperwork or bother him on his day off. I have immediate access to his tasks, budgets, change orders, and even creative assets through CurrentTrack®. And, because it’s web-based (and he’s a workaholic), he can log on from his iPad® – poolside – and see what’s happening in his absence.

“Partner days.” Reason number 1,000,000,001 why I couldn’t live without our workflow system!

Since the time of their inception, the majority of agencies have used a paper job jacket system to keep documents together in a single place. Whether a large manila envelope or custom-printed file folder, the paper jacket has served its purpose well. But, is it quickly becoming a thing of the past?

While web-based project management systems have flooded the market within the past five to ten years, many agencies have held fast to tangible job jackets. It took me years to “go green” in the workplace and stop printing every single thing that came across my desk. Believe me, it wasn’t easy. Now, I only print what’s absolutely necessary.

Although an agency has implemented a web-based system, I don’t think it can completely do away with paper job jackets. They’re still useful for keeping track of things like disks, client sign-offs and printed samples. The size of the envelope used can, however, get smaller. Consider using an eco-friendly envelope.

When moving a project through the agency, ask yourself, “Do I need to print this or is it in the system?” If it’s in the system, step away from the print button… The Earth will thank you!

The primary responsibility of the Accounting Assistant (AA), is to ensure accurate processing of financial information. The AA reports directly to the Accounting Manager (AM).

Responsibilities:

• Possesses knowledge of accounting, bookkeeping terminology and practices

• Establishes and maintains productive relationships with senior personnel

• Frequently meets with AM to review his/her activities

• Works with Account Executives, new media team to ensure accurate billing

• Reviews estimates, invoices prior to release and ensures prompt collection of AR

• Prepares and processes Purchase Orders (P.O.s), invoices, check requests, contract payments

• Ensures P.O.s and invoices are accurately matched

• Assists AM with year-end processing of Accounts Payable

• Works closely with AM to resolve day-to-day budget issues

• Provides reports as requested by AM, senior personnel

• Makes bank deposits on behalf of AM (as requested)

• Assists with processing of employee reimbursements

• Verifies items billed vs. items received; reconciles differences with vendors, employees

• Designs, prepares, maintains spreadsheets (as requested)

S/he collaborates with all internal departments and works closely with a variety of outside suppliers. The OM reports directly to the Chief Operations Officer (COO).

Responsibilities:

• Attends daily (or weekly) production meeting

• Possesses strong written and verbal skills

• Answers telephone

• Oversees operation of office equipment (e.g. printers, fax machines, phone systems)

• Maintains inventory of internal supplies (e.g. paper, toner, soft drinks)

• Issues Purchase Orders (POs) for all internal supplies and shipping charges

• Greets agency guests; prepares beverages (as requested)

• Opens and sorts mail; delivers all communications to appropriate personnel

• Designs office filing systems; ensures systems are kept up-to-date

• Prepares business correspondence (per instruction)

• Coordinates business travel arrangements for agency team members

• Assists with public relations and new business mailings

• Oversees new staff member orientation and training

• Maintains up-to-date contact database of all clients and vendors

• Calculates all in-house and external shipping charges

• Proofreads all materials before vendor distribution

• Reviews shipping receipts and helps resolve billing discrepancies

• Submits a daily Time Sheet detailing work execution

• Secures all office areas at the close of the business day

Why is the prospect of writing a blog entry so intimidating? It doesn’t have to be. Readers aren’t looking for a dissertation or long-winded rant about a particular subject. They’re looking for useful, entertaining information about workflow and traffic management, in this case.

Darren Rowse, founder and editor of ProBlogger Blog Tips, offers “Ten Tips for Writing a blog post.” Likewise, Blog Traffic Exchange shares, “5 Elements for Successfully Writing a Blog.”

Having reviewed both articles, I feel better about composing blog entries. The process is not nearly as intimidating. But, I think I’ll keep the brown paper bag in my desk drawer, just in case!