Traffic Rules to Live By.
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.
“Dude, where’s that file?”
At Developware, we often tout CurrentTrack’s universal accessibility through an array of browsers and devices as a significant benefit. Our clients tend to agree! Access to information about your business when you need it most is one of the marquee promises of cloud based software services and we’re proud we chose to develop in this direction a decade ago.
We’re in good company too. Google has experienced tremendous success with their cloud-based office suite and in what is perhaps a more significant move, Microsoft just introduced Office 365, a web-based version of their bread and butter Office package. This is a move in the right direction but there are still applications that haven’t made their way to the web just yet. I’m talking about the myriad creative tools we use to create great work for clients.
While InDesign and Photoshop are terrific tools, it’s still up to us to figure out a way to store and share the files we create. One solution a number of our clients have mentioned is Dropbox. Dropbox, if you’re not already familiar with it, is an app that resides on your computer as a folder. Simply place your project files into the designated ‘Dropbox’ folder and your data is backed up to the cloud while you continue on with your day. You also have the ability to share folders with your teammates so you can easily collaborate internally. It’s also a relative bargain compared to some of the pricey storage hardware solutions in the marketplace. Dropbox doesn’t solve all problems, however. You still need a method to share data with your clients and vendors which is where a solution like CurrentTrack’s Client / Vendor Portal shines.
CurrentTrack allows you to post your creative files, task lists and calendar events for review and comment by your clients. The data resides in the job folder in CurrentTrack, which makes this functionality a seamless part of your workflow. You can also use CurrentTrack to post completed work for vendors to access when ready; it’s an intuitive replacement to maintaining an FTP site.
Cloud services are reducing the headache of data management and with the right approach and solutions your agency can leverage cloud architecture to make information more open and accessible.
For more information about Dropbox visit www.dropbox.com.
“I’m on Cloud 9.”
There’s a lot of talk about the Cloud in the media lately. It’s a term incubated in the network diagram charts of IT departments, used to depict the concept of the Internet visually. Now the Cloud, under an umbrella of definitions, has entered the vernacular of the mainstream consumer. Apple, a company whose brand’s promise is to shield the skeptical customer from the confusion of modern tech recently named a forthcoming service iCloud. If Apple embraces a concept, there’s a good chance it’s important and here to stay (at least for a while). It’s still a murky concept for some so what does the term “the Cloud” truly mean? And how can it save us from rainy days?
In the early days of business computing, terminals were used to access applications and data that were resident in mainframe systems. The mainframe was a large computer capable of serving many users while centralizing the operations in a single box. Users accessed the system through inexpensive, low-powered terminals. This architecture was used mainly to keep costs down and maintenance simple. Then PCs got cheaper and more powerful, capable of running business apps locally. We went from the green screen terms of the past to Windows and to a lesser extent Apple, computers that had the juice to power our computing experience in the towers under our desks. Of course, the client-server architecture still existed in the form of mail and file servers but applications were typically something we installed locally.
The PC model expedited the adoption of computers globally. It meant that we no longer had to rely on a byzantine combination of keystrokes and incomprehensible menu systems to accomplish meaningful work in a computing environment. The machines were powerful enough to deliver a rich and intuitive interface and we simply pointed and clicked our way to productivity. It also brought along with it a new set of problems. Users had to understand a file system, a task manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del and End Task) and how to install and update the Operating System and Applications they used. This model was great for adoption since users were insulated from the technology driving their experience. But they weren’t removed from the equation enough.
Cloud computing helps solve some of the remaining problems. Applications can live in the Cloud so users don’t have to constantly remember to save their files, update their software or maintain applications. Web technology continues to improve so the applications developed for residence in the cloud bear a striking similarity to the experience of desktop apps of the PC era. Trusting that your data is where you need it, safe and sound in an accessible web service across myriad devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones) is the core of the Cloud concept. The more we move the consumer’s focus away from how to make software work, the freer they are to be productive and creative by using it. It’s been said that the best designs aren’t noticed by people at all and the Cloud pushes us all closer to blue skies.
So quiet you can hear a job drop.
Unless you’re using a web-based project management system, that is.
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!
Going green.
You’ve heard the directive a million times – “Go Green!” Companies are rewarded for swapping out energy-consuming light bulbs and electronics for those less harsh on the environment. We teach our children, from the time they can say, “green,” ways to help the Earth. What does the “Go Green” movement mean for advertising agencies?
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!