3 Reasons To Streamline Agency-Client Reporting
Reporting isn’t just a rote function of the agency, to be dealt with after the “real” work has been completed – it’s actually a core element of the communications program, and one of the main determinants of how the client perceives the agency’s value.
When it comes to the favorite tasks of Communications Agency professionals, documentation does not typically rank at the top of the list. Reporting is often perceived to be a time-consuming chore, something that is usually done begrudgingly after the “real” work has been completed in an effort to justify the monthly invoice. In an effort to improve account team efficiency, the process of capturing and reporting key activities and campaign results is often delegated to the Account Coordinator or an intern, and often completed hastily as a last thought before being sent over to the client.
But in reality, reporting actually plays an enormous role in how the client perceives the agency and the value of its work. The substance and presentation of a report has the power to either make the agency look really good or sorely lacking. Reports tend to have a shelf life beyond the moment of delivery, and can be circulated widely to a potentially endless number of people within the client organization. An insightful report delivered via state-of-the-art technology can reflect that the account team is informed, well-coordinated, agile, and up to date. Conversely, poor reporting can cause great damage to the agency-client relationship, especially if the data presented or the conclusions drawn are inaccurate. And with a host of new tools and platforms providing data directly to the clients, it’s even more imperative for agencies to supply a continual stream of timely and relevant reporting, to help inform their clients about new developments as they are trending, and to help control the narrative around these developments. Just as “Publish or Perish” has long been the mantra of the academic world, “Report or Regret” is quickly becoming the new rule for agencies.
Consequently, client reporting is very much a value-driven service, and it behooves the agency to pay closer attention to the content and methodology behind it. Here are 3 reasons to streamline your client reporting:
1. Workflow Efficiency
Historically, reporting and documentation has required hours of labor-intensive data gathering from a variety of online platforms and sources, and manual formatting to pull everything together into a static document. The trouble with this approach is that the report is already out-of-date by the time it is delivered. Tickr’s Automated Reporting Solution streamlines reporting with intuitive and customizable dashboards that always show the most recent, up-to-date data and information. The account team doesn’t need to log on to 20 different platforms in order to access relevant data, and the information can be presented immediately in a client-ready format, without requiring any additional steps. This creates a more efficient workflow and enables agency resources to be focused on generating high-value insights, strategy and action.
2. Gain Agility and Flexibility
Today’s “Just in Time”business climate demands that account teams continually demonstrate their ability to spin on a dime. The traditional approach to documentation requires hours at minimum, and sometimes even days or weeks, to produce a cohesive report. With Tickr’s one-click report and dashboard sharing, you can literally generate a report five minutes before a meeting happens. Tickr enables always-on views via web and mobile, as well as public or internal team-only sharing options. With the ability to deliver reports in relative real-time, account teams can be more agile in responding to client requests, and send updates proactively as soon as new data is available. Reports can be formatted as a snapshot in time or can be set to update with the most current metrics when opened, allowing for more flexibility and responsiveness.
3. Boost Accountability
Clients want to know that their communications strategy is being driven by quantitative data and evidence. But data is only the beginning – it takes a human being to offer insight into the numbers and make recommendations on how to alter strategy. With the ability to deliver reports in relative real-time, Tickr moves the focus beyond data visualization to collaboration and action. Tickr provides the best AI-driven data to enhance and supplement the human intelligence of your talented communications professionals. Editable Key Insight Fields within the Tickr application place agency team insights side-by-side with supporting data. When used in the right way, quantifiable data can lend credibility to agency recommendations and serve as a very powerful tool of persuasion.
Tickr’s Automated Reporting Solution is like a steroid-infused supercharger for account teams. Tickr’s always-on reporting dashboards are connected to cloud data sources in real time, always showing the most up-to-date metrics and content available.
Isn’t it time to start streamlining your client reporting? Contact Tickr for a demo today.