Communicopia Strengthens Client Relationships with Help from Timesheet Software
San Francisco, CA, August 30, 2010 – Open, collaborative client relationships are now stronger than ever at Communicopia.
The award-winning creative agency has implemented Web TimeSheet at its Vancouver headquarters, providing clients with more insight into project work and greater billing accuracy.
Developed by Replicon, Web Timesheet is a web-based system that helps companies track time against projects, enter billable and non-billable time, and compare expected revenue with actual project costs. Built-in reporting tools give Communicopia a real-time view of hours worked, which it can provide to its clients at any time.
On request, or with each invoice, Communicopia provides clients with up-to-date project status reports. If clients request additional detail behind the hours, the firm can send it in five minutes, reinforcing the firm’s role as a trusted partner.
“An important part of our business is being open and collaborative with clients. It’s a partnership,” said Julia Watson, director of operations at Communicopia. “If I talk to a client, I have all the information at my fingertips. Replicon really helps us have that transparency. It helps with that constant collaboration.”
In the past, Communicopia used an in-house program for tracking hours, but it wasn't scalable and the firm didn't have the resources to support it. Communicopia wanted easier, more comprehensive reporting in order to provide margins to managers and status to clients more quickly and accurately.
With Web TimeSheet, employees and contractors record time on all projects with a straightforward, web-based interface. The program keeps track of billing rates for different employees and tasks, giving Communicopia a view of costs on projects at all times.
The friendlier interface enables employees to enter their data quickly, encouraging them to do it daily. They also add comments for every single activity, giving the firm a detailed record for internal analysis and for clients.
“Communicopia has already set a standard for its open communication with clients,” said Raj Narayanaswamy, Co-CEO of Replicon. “Web TimeSheet reinforces those relationships, providing clients with clear, current information on projects, while also giving the agency more visibility into its own profit margins.”
Web TimeSheet gives Communicopia the exact information it needs with a couple of key strokes – data it couldn’t readily produce before, including client actuals, project margins and employee productivity.
Managers also have access to key reports on their own, allowing them to understand project loads and performance – and make decisions accordingly. If one employee has too much of a load, they can shift work to another team member.
An accurate, up-to-date record of project work contributes to the firm’s profitability and nurtures client relationships. Clients, focused on dedicating dollars to their missions, appreciate insight into how Communicopia contributes to each project.
About Communicopia
Communicopia helps organizations working for social change inspire and engage their audiences through the connective power of the web. With offices in Vancouver and Toronto, Communicopia serves a global client base that includes BC Hydro, the Loreto Bay Company, United Nations Foundation, Environmental Defence Canada, BC Cancer Foundation, the Make Poverty History Campaign, and the Goldie Hawn Institute. Visit http://netchange.co/.
