Efficient Time Tracking with Harvest
At Social Revolt, we recognize the importance of efficiently managing our time, both as individuals and as a collective unit. Our VP of Operations & Customer Success, Lacey Garner, has shared insights on how effective time tracking can not only streamline operations but also foster a thriving work environment. Let’s delve into these insights for a clearer understanding of the benefits and efficiencies of implementing time tracking.
Keeping Client Hours in Check
In the world of marketing agencies, freelancers, and entrepreneurs, the billable hours model is king. By tracking time, any company can maintain accuracy in charging clients, ensuring that every minute spent on their projects is accounted for. By being confident in how time is spent, individuals know exactly how to divide the work in their day. This includes:
- Direct project work
- Project planning and management
- Email correspondence
- Updating project management tools
- Developing timelines
- Attending various meetings
Conversely, activities like proposal development, training, and networking, while valuable, don’t fall under billable hours but are still crucial for our growth and team cohesion.
Optimizing Resource Utilization
Our industry is dynamic – sometimes facing simultaneous project expansions or tight deadlines. Time tracking helps navigate these scenarios sustainably. It ensures fair distribution of work, preventing underutilization or overloading of team members, thereby maintaining a balanced and content team.
Forecasting Hiring Needs
With the ebb and flow of contracts and client engagements, understanding when to expand the team becomes vital. Time tracking allows any business to foresee the need for new hires based on the workload generated by upcoming projects, ensuring that teams are always prepared and well-staffed.
Crafting Better Client Contracts
In the rapidly changing realm of technology and services, accurately predicting the duration and scope of projects poses a significant challenge. This is where the power of time tracking becomes evident. By meticulously recording time spent on various tasks and phases of past projects, a wealth of historical data is amassed. This data serves as a critical resource in formulating more precise estimates for future contracts. Not only does this enhance the accuracy of project timelines, but it also plays a pivotal role in meeting, and often exceeding, client expectations.
Balancing Client Service
Identifying clients who may receive disproportionate levels of attention is a critical aspect of client management. Time tracking serves as a pivotal tool in this regard, enabling a balanced approach to client servicing. It ensures that every client receives an equitable amount of attention and support, proportionate to their investment. This practice not only fosters fairness but also helps in maintaining high standards of service delivery, ensuring that no client feels overlooked or excessively catered to.
Refining Processes and Workflows
Perhaps the most significant advantage of time tracking is its role in process optimization. Lacey Garner’s experience with overhauling the monthly reporting process is a prime example. By analyzing time tracking data, she identified inefficiencies and implemented solutions that saved time, reduced costs, and, importantly, boosted staff morale.
In summary, time tracking is more than a mere administrative task; it’s a strategic tool that enhances operations, team well-being, and client satisfaction. By embracing this approach, we’re not just keeping time; we’re making every moment count towards our collective success. To gain even more insight into a top notch tool that can help your team implement time tracking see the Harvest webinar video below.
