Full Sail Partners Blog (50)

It’s finally fall again and you know what that means, the leaves are changing color and the temperature is dropping, but most importantly - football is back and the wait for our favorite teams to take the field is finally over. Nevertheless, what does football and resource planning have to do with each other? Simple, coaches are like project managers, their resources are the players, and the project is the season. So what we can learn from football coaches to become more effective project managers?

Monday Morning Quarterbacking

A good coach always reflects on each game to identify plays that worked and plays that need work, and of the players, who played well and who under performed. They spend hours watching videos of the previous game to develop a plan to overcome shortfalls. Successful coaches know planning forward cannot occur until they’ve planned backwards.

Smart resource planning starts with planning backwards. Like football coaches, project managers need to think back on the previous week and evaluate their performance. This is a time when you ask yourself how efficient was your previous plan?

Let’s say you planned a task to take 20 hours and it was really done in 10 hours. Is this a result of a great resource or an over-estimated work duration? Identifying what went well and what didn’t go so well allows for continuous improvement throughout the project lifecycle. As a result, project managers can make cost saving decisions and improve resource utilization.  

Have the Right Playbook

The playbook is the lynchpin to a winning team in football. A team can have all the best players, but without a plan, they can’t play as a team. Even more, the teams they play each week change and players get injured. To build the right playbook, the coach needs to know what to expect from the other team and which players they have available.

So who are your injured reserve resources and who do you have available?

Let’s start with your injured reserve. These resources are allocated to non-billable work such as marketing and business development or out on PTO. These resources don’t have 100% availability and this needs to be taken into account when developing your playbook. Therefore, non-billable work needs to be aggressively maintained when resource planning to make sure resources are not over utilized.

Now think about your shared resources. Are other project managers keeping their project plans up-to-date so you know which shared resources are available? Shared resources availability may change throughout the lifecycle of a project and it may change several times. As a result, they often become over utilized. A shared resource’s time has to be updated regularly to ensure project plans across the organization stay on track.

Be Prepared to Call an Audible

The playbook is complete and now it’s game day. Everything is going as planned and the plays called by the coach are unstoppable. Then all of a sudden, the opposing team changes their formation on the line. The coach then instructs the quarterback to call an audible.  

Like the coach's playbook, your plan needs to be flexible. Being blindsided by unforeseen circumstances in project management should be anticipated. Don’t let dependent tasks get disrupted and destroy your plan. By adding contingencies to dependent tasks, you can avoid major disruptions to your project plan and be ready to call an audible.  

Earning the Gatorade Shower!

Every week, coaches are revamping and tweaking their plans. They evaluate their bench and design plays based on their available players and their individual skills. Constantly trying to improve and continue to win all in hopes that their resource planning throughout the season earns them the championship and they receive the coveted Gatorade shower.

This year’s Deltek Insight Conference will be held on November 3-6, in Nashville, TN. Deltek Insight is all that, and more! If you are still on the fence about registering for the conference here are five reasons we think you can’t miss this signature event!

5 Can’t Miss Reasons to Attend Deltek Insight 2015

1. Exclusive sessions with Deltek Vision experts. Attend limited expert-led breakout sessions that teach tips and tricks to getting the most out of your Deltek Vision system! Join Full Sail Partners for a variety of classes ranging from connecting your Deltek Vision system to the outside world to discovering the sweet metrics of success to help your firm thrive.
   
   
2. Network with your peers. Deltek Insight 2015 is the perfect opportunity for you to meet with your peers and discuss the latest industry issues. Take advantage of the opportunity to get plugged in with the interactive ‘Social Zone’, and relax and unwind at the Welcome Reception.
   
   
3. Stay on the cutting edge with Deltek Vision. Do you find yourself needing the latest tools and features from Deltek? Deltek Insight is the perfect place to learn about all of the new releases and features coming for your Deltek Vision system. Be the first to know about new complementary solutions that can add value to your company.
   
   
4. Meet the Full Sail Partners’ Team! This year Full Sail Partners is excited to announce that our entire team will be attending Deltek Insight. Our crew would love to meet you face-to-face! Let us know if you will be attending Insight and schedule some time to meet with one of our experts one-on-one. Don’t forget to stop by our booth to drop off a business card to participate in our raffle!
   
   
5. Celebrate Deltek Insight 2015 with The Band Perry! How often are you able to get up close and personal with Grammy Award winning artists? Join us for an amazing concert experience with The Band Perry, plus a high-energy performance from our favorite house band LoCash!

Thousands of Deltek Vision users from around the world will be attending Deltek Insight 2015 – we hope you are one of them! Haven’t registered yet? Don’t worry, it’s not too late to sign up today:

With Deltek Touch CRM for Vision, Deltek Vision CRM customers have access to the critical business information they need, through their iOS or Android devices — anywhere, anytime! See how Touch CRM gives your firm the strategic advantage to do more.

Deltek Touch CRM: 3 Strategic Advantages

1) Access to Crucial Information While On-The-Go

Deltek Touch CRM provides out of office employees with immediate access to important information such as account history, contact information and much more!

Just a few short years ago, being away from the office meant being completely blocked out from your company’s competitive intelligence. Not anymore! With Deltek Touch CRM your employees have full access to your Deltek Vision CRM system from their mobile device. Boost your road-warrior’s productivity by providing them with the tools needed to keep in touch with a higher number of prospects

2) Collect Information at the Source

Deltek Touch CRM is designed to help your employees gather information at the source. Improve data accuracy by giving your out-of-office team the ability to instantly update Vision data from a mobile device, anywhere in the world!

3) Improve Company Insight

Deltek Touch CRM allows all of your employees access to the most up-to-date real-time information. Have you ever reached out to a customer, only to find out that one of your co-workers had already spoken with them the day before? This situation is not only embarrassing, but it makes your entire organization appear inept. Reduce the amount of information lag in your organization by enabling mobile CRM.

Instead of waiting for weekly, monthly or quarterly reports, decision makers can access on-demand information and address any problems before they arise.

Mobile CRM is No Longer Optional

You already take your smart phone everywhere, so why not take your Vision data with you? Today’s market place is a dog-eat-dog world, and you need every competitive advantage you can get. See how your firm can start doing more with Deltek Touch CRM:

In June Deltek announced iAccess. So what is iAccess? Deltek’s iAccess is a new, user-friendly interface that gives front office employees access to Deltek Vision information on-the-go. Users can access information from anywhere, anytime and the new interface is specifically built for tablets and mobile devices. 

I recently went on a trip and didn’t have internet access to my laptop, but I had cellular service on my iPad. I found the new interface a life saver as I needed to quickly access client data. Portions of the new feature may look familiar because iAccess was formerly called Navigator, but has received new and improved capabilities. It now also includes CRM related information. Best of all iAccess is free for all users. The Business Development component does require a CRM license. 

The new interface now provides users the ability to access three critical areas of Vision: 

• Employee Workspace: View, create and submit timesheets anywhere, anytime an employee has internet access. Provides a simplified way to manage and submit expenses with the ability to upload receipts from any mobile device.
• Project Management Workspace: Plan, manage, monitor and execute project in a centralized, easy-to-use tool. Quickly and simply view key project metrics and view alerts and warnings when projects are at risk.  
• Business Development Workspace: Manage clients, contacts and opportunities on-the-go. Business Development teams can review, add and update critical client data and add touchpoints after client meetings or calls.

As you can see, the tool is really intuitive and the sleek new interface provides a more modern look and feel. Vision iAccess does have to be set-up by your IT staff just like the Deltek Touch products. Users must have remote access capabilities. For more information, be sure to download the product sheet or view Full Sail Partners’ iAccess webinar. 

Ultimately, when push comes to shove, there are really only 3 ways to increase profits:  Sell more, improve margins or decrease overhead costs. While these principals may sound simple on paper they are often difficult to execute in the real world. But have you ever thought about the role client feedback plays in your firm profits? Perception is reality and understanding how your clients perceive you can uniquely position your firm to fuel the bottom line and increase profits.

The Breakdown: 3 Ways for Increase Profits

Sell More | Simply put, there are only two ways to sell more: Add new customers and increase sales to existing customers. In my experience, sales discussions tend to focus on adding new customers. But research has shown that it costs at least 8 times more to sell to a new customer versus an existing client. Ideally we want to ensure long term stability with existing relationship and leverage those relationships to win new work.

Tip for selling more:

• Avoid losing your least expensive prospects – existing customers. The best way to ensure long and meaningful relationships with clients is to (gasp!) create real relationships. Developing a client feedback process allows your firm to build trust between you and your clients, continuously strengthening your relationships and building client loyalty.

Improving Margins | The Pareto Principle states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. Consequently, many businesses have glaring opportunities for improvements to their bottom line by simply eliminating or refocusing areas of their business that do not fit company goals. Regardless of the area of business you target, strong client relationships are proven to make a positive impact to your bottom line.

Tip for improving margins:

• All opportunities are not created equal. It’s a dog eat dog world and as clients are receiving more proposals than ever, identifying strategies to increase your win rate becomes increasingly important. Successful professional services firms are implementing tools and processes to create an RFP feedback strategy.

Decrease Overhead Costs | While expense management is an important element to every successful business, it is imperative to understand where to cut costs in your business. Is re-work eating away at your profit margins? Are your project managers delivering more than the scope of work in the contract to try and ensure their clients are satisfied? By using client feedback to guide these decisions we are able to cut fat from our budget – without cutting bone!

Tip for decreasing overhead costs:

• Develop a corporate culture that embraces automation. Although automating processes and procedures sounds like something only for Fortune 500 companies, automation is actually perfectly suited for  small- to medium-sized businesses where the focus is on being lean and mean. Start decreasing your overhead costs by focusing automation on processes and tasks that are menial and time intensive. Doing so will free up your employees to focus on tasks and assignments better suited for humans such as responding, tweaking, evaluating and navigating complex social issues. 

So Where’s the Magic Template? 

Ultimately there is no golden brush for improving profits. Your firm needs to make decisions based on your own set of criteria. However, as you look to continue to set yourself apart and differentiate from your competition, consider the value of keeping your clients at the center of everything you do. Many firms claim to be client-centric, but do words often meet reality? The Client Feedback Tool can help you integrate a proven process into your project delivery system to keep your clients at the center of your business and give your firm the winning hand. 
 

All too often, certain words and catchphrases are overused in business meetings to the point they have become trite and serve little to no real purpose. These words and phrases are used in business blogs, articles, websites, and day-to-day business emails. One such term, "client-focused", is thrown around as a marketing gimmick for professional services firms, but what does it really mean to be client-focused?

Before we get too far, here’s what you need to know:

1. There is a difference between saying you’re a client-focused firm and actually being client-focused.
2. Your firm’s culture dictates the level of service your clients receive. 
3. If your firm isn’t using technology to support your client relationships, you’re already behind.

The Firm-Focused vs. Client-Focused Professional Services Firm

Being truly client-focused depends on how your firm sees their clients. Sure, it is easy to talk the talk, but putting words into action is where things tend to get difficult.

When a firm places an enormous emphasis on the needs of their clients, they are firm-focused. A firm-focused business makes decisions based on the benefits to themselves and not with their client’s best interest in mind. 

On the contrary, truly "client-focused" firms make decisions that are determined by their client’s needs, as they are at the center of all such business decisions. They understand exactly what their clients need which helps to promote a symbiotic relationship between the firm and the clients.

Through the delivery of top-notch service aimed directly at the needs of their clients, a company will see a simultaneous rise in business performance. After all, the services provided were determined with the client and their needs in mind.  

Living the Firm’s Culture

Who are your clients? The answer might surprise you, but in the business world, there are two types: internal and external clients. 

Internal clients are members of your organization that rely on the help of other members to perform their job. These individuals can fall anywhere on the spectrum of your chain of command, from coworkers to upper management and executives. 

On the other hand, external clients are clients in the traditional sense of the term. They are the buyer of the services your firm provides. 

Do you feel you receive great service from the other internal customers within your firm? If you’re not receiving great service from within your own organization, imagine the service your external clients are receiving. Your firm’s culture is a reflected by the employees, and your clients can see if you live by the values you market.

If you’re not satisfied with your internal customer service, start communicating and living the values that define your firm. Your clients will notice the difference.

How Technology is Changing Playing Field  

Keep up with the Joneses - In order to be competitive and effective within an industry, your firm needs to ensure it is using innovative technology that helps promote success. Failing to innovate hinders a firms’ ability to adapt and grow while the "Joneses," aka your competitors, employ the use of industry leading technology enabling them to leave you in the dust. 

With a Client Relationship Management (CRM) software, you can take your company to the next level by keeping the functions of your company in a centralized system. This helps promote a conducive work environment in which the sales and marketing teams, and administration and finance teams can better work together to achieve client-focused results. To learn more about the basics to Deltek Vision CRM, click here.

An additional benefit of using innovative technology and software is that it enables you to access your work on-the-go. Today we have access to everything on our smartphone devices. From banking to entertainment, email to ordering pizza and everything in between, we can do incredible things with just one, single device. Having mobile access to your CRM allows you to -update client information on-the-go and enables other members of your organization access to the most up-to-date information about your clients. 

The Takeaway 

The importance of understanding what it means to be "client-focused" cannot be overstated. Your firm should define itself by its actions and not by catchphrases.

The goal of being client-focused is to nurture client relationships to retain clients and win more work. Remember, your existing clients are the lifeblood of your organization. According to Bain & Company, it cost 6 to 7 time more to acquire a new customer than retain an existing one. It seems smart to try to keep the clients you already have.

Full Sail Partners, a Client Feedback Tool and Deltek Premier Partner, recently announced it has earned a spot on Accounting Today’s 2015 Top Value-Added Reseller (VAR) List. Accounting Today is a leading provider of online business news for the tax and accounting community, offering breaking news, in-depth features, insightful editorial analysis, and a host of web-related resources and services.

Each year a select group of 100 organizations are honored for their accomplishments as VARs. The top VARs are selected from organizations focused on sales and implementation of accounting and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. Criteria used to determine the winners include 2014 revenue, number of offices, and staff size.

According to Seth Fineberg, Technology Editor of Accounting Today, “The Accounting Today VAR 100 list is comprised of top accounting and ERP software resellers throughout the country, ranked by revenue. This select group represents those in the world of accounting software resellers that are truly ahead of the pack and we are pleased to honor them in this special report.”

Full Sail Partners provides on-premise and cloud-based solutions for architects and engineers, energy and environmental consultants, and professional service firms across the United States. Full Sail Partners' team, collectively, brings more than 200 years of experience with Deltek solutions. The firm represents unique technology solutions that integrate with Deltek Vision including Deltek’s Kona social collaboration platform, the Client Feedback Tool, and Vision Unleashed.

"Last year Full Sail Partners was listed as one of the VARs to watch and we are extremely honored to make our return to the Value-Added Reseller Top 100 List," said Sarah Gonnella, Vice President of Marketing and Sales of Full Sail Partners. "Our firm continues to deepen our bench strength with Deltek Vision experts, allowing us to be the go-to firm for consulting, customization and integration. Jumping to number 85 in Accounting Today’s Top 100 Value Added Reseller list is a great accomplishment and demonstrates our ability to engage our existing client base, as well as, target new project-based firms beyond the AEC industry.”
 

I recently sat down with Ken Higa, Marketing Director for the Atlanta office of Perkins + Will to learn more about how he approaches budgeting for marketing in professional services. As a trained architect with an MBA, and whose other roles have included Principal and Studio Director, Ken is a very savvy budgeting guy. This article summarizes our discussions related to the historical context of marketing AE services, establishing a more integrated approach to financial management and improving the firm’s ability to track returns on its investments with the help of tools like Deltek Vision.

Hebblethwaite: What was the context behind your interest in finding a better way to budget for marketing?

Higa:  I’ve always been intrigued with the relatively short history of marketing professional services. AIA’s 1909 Principals of Practice forbid architects from doing most familiar marketing activity as another form of “advertising.” No proposals, no job signs, no free work, basically just a firm name and number in the Yellow Pages. That changed in the early 1970’s when the Justice Department sued AIA for violating the Sherman Antitrust Act because of its structured fee schedule. The legal profession also had its own battle in Arizona claiming violations of free speech. Long story short, that got the ball rolling. Things are obviously very different today, and marketing is a very complex strategic function of the successful practice.

Hebblethwaite: Our tools are much better these days too, right?

Higa: Well, yes - both for delivering our work and managing business information. These business tools allow us to plan, manage and leverage our marketing activities more effectively – no matter how big or small the firm is. Embracing those tools is essential for running a successful practice today. Young entrepreneurial designers are recognizing this.

Hebblethwaite: You went back and got your MBA. What kinds of budgeting improvements were you looking for in the roles you’ve occupied?

Higa: The typical way accounting looks at expenses just didn’t tell the whole story. Knowing how much we spent on paperclips and printer ink can’t help me plan the strategic activities that will win work. Marketing costs live in lots of buckets – computers, supplies, vendor services – and it’s hard to fully analyze the return on those individual costs. Using a more activity-based approach allows us to take a more project-focused look at how we’re spending money and time. That project approach actually makes sense to most design principals – and it’s a known methodology in systems like Deltek Vision.

Hebblethwaite: What are some good starter “projects” using this type of approach?

Higa: Start with the premise that you’ll track what you REALLY want to measure. Pursuits/Opportunities will likely be a third or more of your budget. Photography is a common one for architects – the obvious expense of the service plus tracking your staff’s coordination time. Other common examples include conference attendance and public relations. Come up with good pneumonic naming conventions – most people can remember things like “BD” for business development, and it’s easy to pull that up on your timesheet.

Hebblethwaite: Are you able to use this approach for multiple business units or studios?

Higa: Absolutely. You should cross that project list against whatever your firm’s meaningful groups are: Offices, Profit Centers, Studios, Practice Area. These marketing projects then can be used to track real time and real expense just like your revenue-generating projects. That really enables you to get good snapshots for analyzing specific marketing investments and determining their value, like the healthcare studio’s attendance at industry conferences during the past year.

Hebblethwaite: How did you go about convincing your leadership to change the budgeting approach?

Higa: They knew this process would help identify where the real value was (or wasn’t) in certain marketing activities – and educate the staff about the cost implications. They also liked taking accountability for marketing activities to the individual timesheet level. Each person can stop and think, “What marketing activity am I really doing right now?” This helps reduce the tendency for marketing to become a big bucket with a hole in the bottom. I also had to help them understand that we needed to collect data for a period of time before meaningful analysis would occur – that took about a year for us initially.

Hebblethwaite: How do you approach analyzing and sharing information that you’ve collected using activity-based budgeting?

Higa: After collecting data for a while, showing people meaningful information really wasn’t that difficult. I would regularly hear from other principals, “Wow, you know all this stuff?” It helps them realize the cost of their efforts and decisions in a non-threatening way. You have to be careful not to give people all the data all the time. Like any other important business communication, take stock of your audience and determine how they like to digest information. For some, a summary list of bullets is all you need; for others, the prettier the graphic the better. Human interpretation really helps others see meaning.

Hebblethwaite: This approach must need at least a conversational relationship with other departments. What do I do if that’s still an “opportunity” at my firm?

Higa: No question. None of this would be possible without partnerships with accounting, as well as your Deltek experts and firm leadership. One unifying goal is getting the budget in-line with your strategy and annual goals – that helps everyone. When people realize there’s both quantitative and qualitative meaning in this process, they quickly see how they can be involved and contribute. It’s really important to develop some one-on-one relationships to help move things forward. I approached our head Deltek Vision expert and showed him my ideas – he was thrilled and said, “Wow, a marketing person that understands Vision, that’s AWESOME!” Things went very smoothly after that, but someone had to make the first effort. Marketing professionals are typically good at that.

Hebblethwaite: Agreed! So what’s the big takeaway?

Higa: At the end of the day, we’re all people just trying to get our jobs done. Getting the team on the same page about mundane topics like cost analysis and budgeting really helps you focus on what’s important: the strategy you started with, understanding the facts, and making better decisions about future investments and initiatives. It’s a team sport and marketing professionals can be great coaches!

Ken Higa can be reached at Ken.Higa@perkinswill.com and Kevin Hebblethwaite can be reached at khebblethwaite@fullsailpartners.com.

The other day I was having a discussion with a client about the challenges of owning a consulting firm. It’s funny how these types of conversations force you to reflect on your own experiences. I quickly realized I made some mistakes along the way as all business owners do when they first start out. I’ve also been witness to mistakes by other consulting firms that have reached out to us for help. From these past experiences, I have identified 9 deadly sins owners of consulting firms should avoid.

1. Not Staying True to the Purpose – When you started the firm you had a purpose, your mission, vision and principles. Don’t lose sight of how you became a successful consulting firm, even through the tough times. It’s important to diversify and be innovative, but it must always fit what you stand for. When you leave your core business, you also lose your core loyal clients.
2. Failing to Innovate – When firms fail to see the changing tealeaves and adapt to their client demands and the competitive landscape, the business can become stagnant and may even die out. Innovation opens your firm up to the next big success. Ideas may fail, but continually innovating and adapting will keep a consulting firm growing.
3. Not Planning for Growth – Alan Lakein said, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” This couldn’t be more true when it comes to thinking about how you will grow your firm. The demise of any consulting firm is hoping to stay where it is and not planning for future growth. Change is constant and you can rest assure that your competitors are looking at ways to grow their staff, revenue and client base.
4. Misunderstanding Profitability – You would think this would be a no brainer for consulting firms, but you would be surprised at the excuses made by Project Managers and Owners about why the profit number is declining. Most consulting firms watch profitability for the company, but are you watching the profit on each project? Even worse is when you make the same mistake with the next project. It’s important to take those lessons learned and circle them back to the proposal process.
5. Not Tracking Cash Flow – Firms that do understand profit often forget that it is only half the problem. Clients that do not pay can derail the best profit and growth program and impact cash flow. Having a consistent feedback program with clients can decrease payment issues. By constantly collecting client perceptions about the service delivery, firms can quickly resolve issues and reduce the firm’s payment issues.
6. Misguided or Lacking Process Improvement – Processes deteriorate over time for all kinds of reasons, including addition of new technology, employee turnover, and cutting expenses or resources. Periodically reviewing your processes - whether technological or how staff approach clients or issues - keep staff trained and technology up-to-date. Technology that allows for automatic workflows is an easy way to improve efficiency, decrease redundancy and create consistency. Keep in mind that pursuing too many process improvements at one-time can also be detrimental to the goal. Process improvement must be clearly defined, have an internal champion and sometimes done in stages.
7. Treating BD as a Part-Time Lover – For smaller firms especially, business development can be a challenge to juggle getting the business and doing the work. However, if your firm isn’t constantly selling to existing and new clients, your sales pipeline will eventually run dry. Setting goals and monitoring those goals through a CRM system, for example, can provide visibility to ensure business development is consistent.
8. Ineffective Risk Assessment – The moment we start a business we run into unpredictability and risks every day. Sometimes leaders don’t even know there is a risk issue. Understanding the risks facing your company – from professional liability issues to growing into a new market – allows you to minimize the risk while still being able to “take a chance”.
9. Improper Planning of Disasters - Failure Happens! However, many firms don’t realize until it’s too late that they don’t have an effective backup and recovery solution for their database, email, and network. Even if your firm has a back-up method in place, many times it can’t be deployed quickly. The scary stat is that 60% of all firms that lose their data will close in 6 months. Instituting a Disaster Recovery System that allows for redundant offsite storage and system restoration within a 36-hour period can greatly reduce the chances of complete loss.

Ask yourself, if your consulting firm is committing any of these deadly sins? If so, what can you do about it? Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”  It would be insane to keep repeating any of these deadly sins.  

Deltek Touch Time and Expense for Vision provides flexibility for employees to easily capture, track and manage expense reports on-the-go. A Recent Aberdeen Group study shows the following research concerning mobile-enabled expense programs:

• Visibility is a prime concern for the majority of organizations in regards to travel and expense management.
• Mobile applications and technology are considered a ‘link to the future’ and will help business travelers and executives enact key expense management processes via smartphones or tablet devices.
• Analytics is a prime means of enhancing travel and expense management visibility, gaining intelligence into the ROI of business.

Deltek Touch Time and Expense for Vision enables your firm to operate as a Best-in-Class organization and operate at the forefront of the industry. Enabling mobile expense reporting in your organization will allow users to: 

• Document transaction data at the time the expense is incurred
• Quickly add cash expenses (such as tips) to an expense report
• Capture receipt images with a smart phone’s camera
• Provide historical back-up data on-demand, in real time

Watch the below video and take a tour of Deltek Touch Time and Expense. See how quick and easy creating expense reports on the go should be. Never miss another expense again by shedding the old restrictions of a desk and going mobile with your expense reports!