Teams | Collaboration | Customer Service | Project Management

February 2024

Phase-gate process in project management: What it is and how it works

It may sound like something out of a science fiction film, but the phase-gate process is a project management methodology that can offer a lot of benefits. It helps project teams break large projects down into checkpoints and milestones to ensure quality and viability before moving on to the next development phase. Of course, there’s no shortage of project management methodologies for client services businesses to choose from.

Project management information system (PMIS): What it is and how it works

Project management software comes in a lot of shapes and sizes — and some are nicer than others. If you want to give your project team the tools they need to excel, choosing the right type of software should be your number one objective. One type of software that can help with almost all aspects of project management is a project management information system (PMIS).

How This Agency Reduced Churn by 50% (with AI's Help) w/ Erik Huberman

Wanna know how a 200-person agency reduced churn by 50% from one year to the next? Even though Hawke Media is one of the most successful marketing agencies in the United States and they’ve scaled to hundreds of millions in annual revenue, their journey hasn’t been without bumps in the road. At the beginning of 2022, they saw client churn on the rise and their CEO, Erik Huberman, knew he had to adjust their strategy to address a new challenge.

Project assumptions: Understanding their role and significance in project management

What are you assuming right this second? Lots of things! At a minimum: We all make assumptions about the world around us — it’s a part of navigating a complex and sometimes chaotic world. What good would we be in everyday life if we constantly doubted that gravity would hold us down, that electricity would keep working, and so on? We do the same thing in projects: we make certain project assumptions so we can focus on the less certain stuff between those assumptions.

The 5 project management process groups explained

5 process groups. 10 knowledge areas. 49 processes. All sliced and diced and mixed together in a slurry of business-speak that mere mortals struggle to understand. If you’ve ever picked up a copy of PMBOK (or spent much time reading primary sources from its publisher, the Project Management Institute), well— it can be a lot to digest. Especially when as a client services business your day-to-day focus is something quite different.

Take the stress out of planning and prioritizing your day with My Calendar

Tired of juggling multiple tools to manage your workday efficiently? Wish there was a single solution that could seamlessly integrate all of your tasks, projects, and time tracking in one place (not to mention your Google Calendar events)? Well, get ready to meet your new best friend: My Calendar, the latest addition to the Teamwork.com suite. Check out the video below for a step-by-step walkthrough of how it all works!

Scrum master vs. project manager: Understanding the key differences

Different projects need different tools — but they also need different types of leaders to guide the project team to success. In the world of project management, there are two main types of leadership roles: project managers and Scrum masters. But what’s the difference between the two job descriptions, and which one is the best choice for your agency’s next project?

How A Merger Accelerated Their Agency's Growth w/ Bob Ruffolo

How does a simple merger result in a highly successful business that houses both agency and consulting practices under one roof, creating what very well may be the business model of the future? Bob Ruffolo, founder and CEO of IMPACT, joins the podcast to discuss his merger with The Sales Lion, and how that led to growth that surpassed their HubSpot peers and made their consulting services a primary source of company revenue.

The 5 Financial Metrics Top Agencies Get Right w/ Ryan Watson

What’s one mistake you’ve made as an agency leader you’ll never forget? Several guests on this show have shared the same exact answer: “I wish I’d invested in my own financial literacy sooner!” But, what financial metrics should you focus on the most? Even if you answer that question—how do you (and your team) impact those financial metrics that matter most for your agency?

5 Steps to Win Agency Clients Using Benchmark Data w/ Chris Nault

Want to win more clients (& keep them longer) in 2024? Of course you do! Offering a free benchmark consultation as part of your sales process might just be the key to doing both this year. In this episode with Chris Nault, Founder & CEO of Growth, he breaks down the process and results from his agency's 5-week experiment of adding a benchmark consultation into their sales and renewal processes. In this episode, you’ll hear from Chris.