Why Does Your Team Need an Integrated Media Workflow?
6 Reasons your agency should upgrade today
There are definite benefits of an integrated media workflow. Individual components, such as Accounting, Project Management and Media, are designed to seamlessly work together, simplifying processes.
1. Lower Operating Costs
Integrated Media can streamline your process by eliminating the need for duplicate tasks. For example, orders are generated from plans and schedules. Since media and accounting are connected, invoices can be created from unbilled orders. Integration with Accounting means you can plan, purchase, process, reconcile and bill - all in the same place. This saves an enormous amount of time and money.
2. Automated Processes
Manual processes (such as spreadsheets) are time consuming and limit how much media the agency can handle. Want to make your agency scalable? Increasing your media team gives you more bandwidth, but can also increase the number of errors without the right tools. Automating your process is very important. By doing so, you give your agency the bandwidth it needs to grow its media capability without expanding the risk profile for the agency.
3. Streamlined Communications
When relying on email, post-it notes, etc. to communicate, it’s impossible to track. When media is integrated with project management and accounting, everyone is in the loop. A central hub for all communications keeps everything organized for easy access. Organized communications are especially critical when it comes to vendor communications. A system that includes electronic vendor communication and makegoods saves a tremendous amount of time and confusion.
4. The Paperless Media Process
A paperless workflow is more streamlined, economical and better for the environment. How much time and money would you save if used less paper? For example, if draft invoices are still being printed, consider an integrated billing system with approval capabilities. An electronic Billing Approval feature bridges communication between Media and Accounting, automating the process, saving time as well as paper. When employees must print something from one system to enter data into another it wastes paper and time (not to mention the possibility of human error). An integrated media system supports a paperless agency because it connects Media Orders to Billing and more – everything is in one place. Media Buyers can process orders directly from a Media Plan or Broadcast schedule. Not only does this save paper, it saves time!
5. Reduced Risk of Billing Errors
A common element in media workflows is manually entering billing data from spreadsheets or other systems into billing. This practice exposes agencies to enormous risk of billing errors. It doesn’t have to be that way. An integrated system reduces risk of human error by eliminating the need for manual entries from one system to another.
6. Quick and Easy Reporting
How much time do you spend gathering information for weekly or monthly reports? Compiling data from multiple systems is tedious and time consuming. With an integrated system, all data is in one place, making reporting quick and easy. The ability to import results and compare to planned media is a huge plus.
Looking for an integrated media platform that can streamline your workflow?
The Advantage agency management system is purpose-built for agencies and creative teams of all sizes.
We’ve been exclusively focused on helping our clients maximize productivity, efficiency and profitability for over 40 years, with almost a thousand agencies counting on us to help run their business every day.
With Advantage you get a team of US-based agency veterans supporting you every step of the way. All implementation and training is done by experienced Advantage staff, and all clients have unlimited access to our live customer support line from 8am-7:30pm Eastern every business day.
Find out how Advantage can help you by contacting us for a complimentary demo or discussion about your unique needs.