Teams | Collaboration | Customer Service | Project Management

April 2023

9 tips to manage your software development team (no coding required)

Wrangling a team of software developers is a lot like herding cats — only worse, because in this case the cats all speak a mixture of different (programming) languages. For most agencies, managing a software development team can be even more perplexing because you don’t speak any of those languages. Thankfully, with the right processes in place, anyone can build the skills they need to successfully manage a software development team. Here are nine tips to get you started.

7 steps to successful strategic marketing planning for agencies

As an agency, you know how to provide guidance and deliver projects for your clients. But when was the last time you took a look at your own agency and planned out a strategic roadmap? Agencies spend around 7-20% of their revenue on their own marketing — but that's a pretty wide gap. How can you know what's a good ballpark investment for your agency’s marketing efforts? No matter what your budget is, you need a strategic plan to ensure your marketing investment is worth it.

9 Asana alternatives for project management software in 2023

If your agency is in the market for reliable project management software, you've probably at least heard of Asana. Originally designed as a productivity tool for Facebook employees, Asana is now one of the most popular project management tools on the market. While Asana does have a lot to offer, it's generally designed for simple task management. If you have more complex projects in the pipeline, then you may need a more robust management tool.

Top 7 Microsoft Project alternatives for efficient project management

If your agency is on the hunt for a project management solution, you've likely heard of Microsoft Project. Launched in 1984, MS Project is the longest-running project management platform on the market. But is it the best option for your agency? With so many newer, more powerful project management tools on the market, it’s unsurprising that many teams are slowly moving away from the outdated software.

8 Scoro alternatives for project and task management in 2023

Is your agency drowning in a sea of missed deadlines and incomplete deliverables? Implementing a stronger project management strategy could be the missing link in your process. But winning at project management is easier said than done. That’s why many agencies are turning to project management software tools like Scoro to bring order to chaos and instill a new sense of operational clarity. Scoro is a powerful project management tool, but it isn’t right for every agency.

Identifying key roles and structure for software development teams

Between 2020 and 2021, poor-quality software cost U.S. businesses about $2.41 trillion. Why? Sometimes it comes down to software having a poor user experience, but more often it’s due to a lack of structure within software development teams. So how do you choose the right people for software development teams? And what development methodology should you use? We’ll show you the basics below.

10 Smartsheet alternatives for agency project management

As a spreadsheet tool for data entry, there's nothing wrong with a platform like Smartsheet. But if your agency needs a platform that can handle more than just Excel-style spreadsheets — or if you simply don't love digging through endless rows and columns to find the data you need — you'll probably want to look elsewhere. Where do you begin to narrow down the best Smartsheet alternatives for task management in 2023? We've got you covered with our top picks.

9 Kantata alternatives for project tracking in 2023

Fifty-eight percent of those who made tech investments for their business over the last 12-18 months report having buyer’s remorse. Choosing the best project management tools for your agency is critical to your success. Unfortunately, as the survey cited above shows, investing in the wrong software is a common (and expensive) problem. Projects that stall, fall apart, or lack proper execution and accountability suck resources from your agency.

How to use (and improve) Slack for project management

As of this 2019 GP Bullhound report, Slack was one of the fastest-growing software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies in history, reaching an annual average recurring revenue of $400 million in less than five years. Then the pandemic hit, and with that — well, you’ve probably seen the memes. Slack went from one of the leading business collaboration tools to a household name that remote workers everywhere rely on to stay connected to their teams.

7 essential tips for successful resource scheduling

Struggling with your agency's resource management? With so many resources to juggle for any given project (from assigning tasks to staying on budget and on deadline), it's no surprise. Enter resource management software: a valuable tool that can help you make the most of your available resources for each project. However, despite the benefits offered by resource scheduling tools, only 23% of businesses surveyed in 2020 report using them — which seems like a pretty major gaffe!

The Wrap-Up: 4 key takeaways from the '5-Part Framework for Increasing Agency Margins' webinar

Every month, we invite agency experts from around the world to share their advice on some of the toughest questions facing the industry. Teamwork’s Head of Partnerships and webinar host, Logan Lyles, was recently joined by Databox CEO, Pete Caputa, to discuss how agencies can use a 5-part framework to increase their margins–a hot topic in today’s macro environment.

Want to Grow Your Agency? 5 Expert Tips to Get You Started

Are you constantly putting out fires, in dire need of a vacation but have no time to spare, and lost in terms of long-term business goals because you're too busy trying to survive each day? If this sounds like you, you’re probably in the early stages of growth at your agency, what Teamwork CEO Peter Coppinger has coined the “Deliver” stage in his eBook, The Ultimate Guide to Scaling Your Agency.

5 steps to successful client onboarding

In agency life, there’s no better feeling than the buzz of winning a new client. Did someone say “open bar”? But with it now being 16 times more expensive to build a long-term relationship with a brand-new client than an existing one, there’s never been so much pressure on agencies to get client onboarding right. That’s why more and more agencies are choosing project management software to track projects and centralize communication between stakeholders and your team.

Top Airtable alternatives for the modern-day agency

A recent study found that 33% of companies spend one or more days per month collating project reports. Using Airtable may seem like the best idea for managing your agency’s workflow quicker while staying organized. But, maybe it’s not. Yes, Airtable’s functionality is seamless, it’s a well-known app, and it offers a good bit of customization.

Teamwork and HubSpot Part 2: How Teamwork + HubSpot + Zapier Automations Enhance the Customer Experience

With a proliferation of tools, teams often find themselves bogged down by manual tasks, disconnected data, and an overwhelming number of apps to manage customer relationships. This can lead to a reduction in productivity, team alignment, and ultimately, business growth. What’s the solution? Automation! Welcome to Part 2 of our Teamwork + HubSpot No-Code Automations series!

12 ClickUp alternatives for managing projects and tasks

A recent report by Wellingtone finds 52% of project managers are somewhat or very dissatisfied with their project management maturity. Nowadays, project management is often only as good as the software you have running it. And if you’re already using project management tools like ClickUp, sometimes the grass really is greener on the other side. While ClickUp gives its users features that help them stay organized and in touch with other team members, it lacks some key benefits.