{"id":4470,"date":"2023-05-09T15:28:21","date_gmt":"2023-05-09T15:28:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/?p=4470"},"modified":"2024-09-03T08:25:31","modified_gmt":"2024-09-03T08:25:31","slug":"agency-resource-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-resource-guide","title":{"rendered":"Agency resource planning and management guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agency resource planning and management processes help you align the right people with available project work. Doing it well leads to happy, productive agency teams committed to delivering high-quality client outcomes. Project success and satisfied clients will naturally follow. That means a greater chance of repeat business and referrals for your agency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sounds appealing, right? Let&#8217;s get into it.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In this article \ud83d\udcd6<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-resource-guide\/#8-benefits-of-agency-resource-management-and-planning-today\" >8 benefits of agency resource management and planning today<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-resource-guide\/#8-key-challenges-of-resource-management-for-agencies\" >8 key challenges of resource management for agencies<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-resource-guide\/#Signs-of-poor-resource-management-in-agencies\" >Signs of poor resource management in agencies<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-resource-guide\/#6-stages-of-resource-planning-and-management-in-agencies\" >6 stages of resource planning and management in agencies\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-resource-guide\/#What-to-look-for-in-an-agency-resource-planning-and-management-tool\" >What to look for in an agency resource planning and management tool<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-resource-guide\/#Agency-resource-planning-and-management-the-summary\" >Agency resource planning and management: the summary\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8-benefits-of-agency-resource-management-and-planning-today\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8 benefits of agency resource management and planning today<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Investing in resource planning and management won\u2019t just help your agency stay ahead in the present moment. It\u2019ll also produce improvements that give direction to your team and boost your bottom line over time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s dig deeper:<\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Increase profitability<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resource management means your team will know precisely what to work on and when\u2014without excessive meetings or admin. Fewer meetings make it easier to allocate resource time to billable projects. More <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/billable-non-billable-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">billable hours<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and projects mean revenue: revenue means profit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your agency will also experience less resource wastage. If you can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/features\/capacity-planning-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">forecast capacity<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you\u2019ll know who\u2019s available and when. So you won\u2019t hire unnecessary and expensive specialists when you have in-house resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3X6lT4Q\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-6582 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-943x242.jpg\" alt=\"A rectangle shaped banner in purple featuring a 3D book cover with a prompt to download an eBook about resource planning for agencies.\" width=\"943\" height=\"242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-943x242.jpg.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-1042x268.jpg.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-1536x395.jpg.webp 1536w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-310x80.jpg.webp 310w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1.jpg 1836w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-310x80@2x.jpg.webp 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Boost team performance and productivity<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resource management and planning help <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/workload-planning-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">workload planning<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Workload planning helps you better align people\u2019s skill sets against the work available. That leads to increased productivity and better deliverables because people work to their strengths rather than weaknesses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also creates happier employees, simply because people will be working on what they\u2019re good at and what they enjoy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prioritizing resource management and planning for your agency will also help you focus on fair <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/resource-allocation-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resource allocation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Better resource allocation prevents burnout, keeping teams healthy and productive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Map out flexible plans for future projects<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agency life is competitive and changeable, which can make it difficult to plan for future projects. You might need to re-shift resources if clients are lost or if you gain new clients, for example.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can get your resource planning and management up to speed, you can stay nimble. That means you&#8217;ll <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">respond<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rather than <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">react<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to changes in project demands related to resource needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Guarantee happy clients<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With people and projects aligned, deadlines (and the quality of deliverables) won\u2019t slip. Consistently delivering high-quality work on time builds client trust.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Plus, satisfied clients who trust your agency are more likely to:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Refer you to their network (which means new business)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Renew their contracts (which means repeat business and more predictable revenue)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be open to upselling or expanding (which means more revenue)<br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>\u00a05. Improve work-life balance<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Better resource planning and management leads to better <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/ad-agency-work-life-balance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency work-life balance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The nature of the agency beast means that sometimes agency teams end up burning the candle at both ends.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s a highly fast-paced and changeable environment with multiple clients and project types. That can lead to occasionally working lunches, evenings, and weekends. But when that becomes the norm? Houston, we have a problem.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With proper planning and management in place, you can juggle client needs and protect your team\u2019s time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>6. Decrease burnout<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This benefit is tied to the point above. <a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agency-burnout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agency burnout is prevalent.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Intense workloads with little planning and poor systems and processes can put your team at risk of burnout. It may even cause them to leave your agency. Seriously, burnout is one of the leading <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychreg.org\/burnout-biggest-cause-high-employee-turnover\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">causes of low employee retention<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Staffing shortages are already a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dmexco.com\/stories\/agencies-in-2023-crazy-times-lie-ahead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">major challenge for agencies<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. So it makes sense to bolster your resource management and planning processes to protect your team\u2019s well-being and retain existing talent.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>7. Ward off agency competition<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let&#8217;s talk about agency competition. Research shows agency growth is on the rise. For example, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/prometheanresearch.com\/2023-digital-agency-industry-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">one agency industry report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> shows that the number of digital agencies in the US grew 54% from 2018 to 2023.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A growing market could mean more choices, which could cause potential clients to shop around. Having solid agency resource management and planning can help ensure teams have enough capacity to (successfully) jump on RFPs and new business pitches. It will also help agencies pull together realistic team planning, timelines, and budget proposals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>8. Mitigate the risk of client churn<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Client churn can be a common issue for agencies. (For context,\u00a0 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/adage.com\/article\/marketing-news-strategy\/nearly-40-brands-plan-fire-their-agency-within-six-months\/2451041\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nearly 40% of brands<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> already consider switching agencies.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The good news? Even if you offer similar services as your competitors, improving your agency resource and management can set you apart. That\u2019s simply because planning and prioritizing your team\u2019s efforts will create better client experiences. And better client experiences will help you retain business as competition grows.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8-key-challenges-of-resource-management-for-agencies\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8 key challenges of resource management for agencies<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agencies that prioritize resource planning and management will reap the rewards. But common challenges may make it harder to get it right. From capacity planning to poor processes, here are some common blockers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Trying to manage client expectations<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As an agency, clients expect you to deliver high-quality work within tight deadlines. The more clients you have on your roster, the better for your sales pipeline.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But your team\u2019s bandwidth may be stretched thin. That adds a new difficulty setting to the agency resource allocation and capacity planning game.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Not having the right skills available\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agencies must have the right mix of talent on their project team to meet the demands of their clients. That means you need to constantly evaluate your staffing needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a priority, you need the right people with the right skills and experience for each project. If your agency has talent gaps, you may need to onboard extra talent (like freelancers) to your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-team-roles-and-responsibilities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project team<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Lacking forecasts for budgets and resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No matter what your agency does, you must manage your project budgets effectively. Long story short, you don\u2019t want to overspend or undercharge clients.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Process-wise, it\u2019s common to use a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/how-to-create-the-ultimate-project-budget-template-free-excel-template\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project budget spreadsheet<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (no judgment from us\u2014we love spreadsheets). Most of your data is in one place, which is a win, but the downside is that spreadsheets are harder to scale.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/5-tips-for-resource-forecasting-in-project-management\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resource forecasting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (estimating your resource needs over a given period) is a key part of budgeting as an agency. The more clients and talent you have, the harder it becomes to manually forecast resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Clear goals don&#8217;t exist<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We get it\u2014establishing clear client goals can be tricky. But here\u2019s the thing: if you don\u2019t set clear goals from the start, you can\u2019t create a clear action plan. Without a clear action plan, you can\u2019t plan your team&#8217;s time. That means you\u2019re limiting the chance of project success from the start.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Unclear goals also leave you wide open to:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wasted resources (it turns out you didn\u2019t need to onboard that new web developer after all)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The dreaded <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/scope-creep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">scope creep<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (clients keep asking for work that feels outside of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/what-is-project-scope\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project scope<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but it\u2019s hard to tell because a clear scope of work\u2014including goals\u2014 wasn\u2019t signed off in the first place)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Constantly shifting priorities (your team doesn\u2019t know how to use their time effectively, and it\u2019s causing avoidable stress)\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overburdened resources (a fast track to burnout-ville which may cause costly project delays)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>5. Tricky capacity planning<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many agencies find capacity planning challenging due to a lack of team visibility\u2014especially in remote teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without resource visibility, it&#8217;s harder to:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Know who\u2019s available across teams and projects<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify the specific skills you already have available within the team<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, when team members don\u2019t track their time effectively, you can&#8217;t get an accurate picture of their available hours. That means you might schedule too much of their time, which puts them over capacity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>6. Allocating resources incorrectly\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Running an agency of any kind means you\u2019re probably managing multiple clients and projects simultaneously. Because your team may have competing projects, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/resource-allocation-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resource allocation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> becomes a delicate balancing act.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the one hand, you need to protect your team\u2019s well-being and time (by not over-allocating them). On the other, you need to meet project and wider agency needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both are key to keeping your agency running smoothly and preventing project failure. But getting that balance right can be tough.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #fcf2fe; padding: 30px 40px; margin-top: 40px;\">\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Turn allocation chaos into creativity: Try Kennen\u2019s top tip for downtime<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><b>Allocation issues happen to the best of us. But underutilized resources don\u2019t have to just sit on the bench. Kennen Sisco, Head of Global Corporate Marketing at Illumina, shares how to make the most of downtime.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cD<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">uring periods of downtime, there&#8217;s a unique opportunity to dive into passion projects that spark creativity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, these moments offer a prime chance to address business challenges through mini hackathons lasting 48 hours, where we would brainstorm innovative ideas or concepts. Some of these ideas may even become pitches for clients or stakeholders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My recommendation is to seize underutilized opportunities and leverage them to showcase work to build inspiration.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Want to discover more practical tips from agency leaders? <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/get.resourceguruapp.com\/ebook-agency-revenue\/?utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_source=article&amp;utm_campaign=arp_ebook\">Download our eBook, Revenue-Driven Resource Planning For Agencies<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>7. Poor processes<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s a little secret: not all agency systems and processes are created equal. Some have standardized procedures and work like well-oiled machines. Then, some agencies (understandably) don\u2019t have the time to dig into this area.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maybe you\u2019re a newer agency with a small team. If you\u2019re the CEO, you\u2019re likely focusing your efforts on building a reliable client list. You\u2019ve got to keep the lights on, after all. But manually planning resources or tracking billable hours can become time-consuming. Then relying on spreadsheets (even with formulas) doesn\u2019t allow growth because they don&#8217;t always scale well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>8. Missing a resource management tool (or still using spreadsheets)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without a resource management tool,\u00a0 trying to streamline capacity planning and resource management tasks costs time and causes headaches. Software with capacity planning features will make it easier for teams to track their time. That means you can quickly get a handle on billable hours.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re experiencing any of these challenges with your agency resource planning and management, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/industries\/agencies\/marketing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resource Guru\u2019s agency software<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Signs-of-poor-resource-management-in-agencies\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Signs of poor resource management in agencies<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, how can you tell if you\u2019re facing these resourcing challenges?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some telltale signs it\u2019s time to work on your agency resource management and planning:<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"footable_parent_4510\"\n         class=\" footable_parent ninja_table_wrapper loading_ninja_table wp_table_data_press_parent semantic_ui \">\n                <table data-ninja_table_instance=\"ninja_table_instance_0\" data-footable_id=\"4510\" data-filter-delay=\"1000\" aria-label=\"Signs of poor resource management in agencies\"            id=\"footable_4510\"\n           data-unique_identifier=\"ninja_table_unique_id_1914820392_4510\"\n           class=\" foo-table ninja_footable foo_table_4510 ninja_table_unique_id_1914820392_4510 ui table  nt_type_ajax_table selectable celled striped vertical_centered  footable-paging-right ninja_table_search_disabled ninja_table_pro\">\n                <colgroup>\n                            <col class=\"ninja_column_0 \">\n                            <col class=\"ninja_column_1 \">\n                    <\/colgroup>\n            <\/table>\n    \n    \n    \n<\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6-stages-of-resource-planning-and-management-in-agencies\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6 stages of resource planning and management in agencies\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, how do you take your resource planning and management to the next level?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are six stages to consider when planning and managing resources for your agency, to help you prevent any issues (or tackle any existing challenges).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Stage 1: Resource estimation<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resource estimation is the process of forecasting who you\u2019ll need for your project and how much you\u2019ll need them. We suggest looking at your sales pipeline, scheduled resources, delivery backlog, and typical hiring timelines to do this effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Sales pipeline<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your sales pipeline will provide insight into who\u2019s moving from a prospect to a signed and sealed client. Use these insights to spot which new projects are coming up and any client requirements. Then consider what resources you\u2019ll need to meet these upcoming project demands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Scheduled resources<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As an agency, you must often be nimble to stay competitive. That means knowing who you have available, their skillset, and whether they\u2019re at capacity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>An example:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Let\u2019s say you need a specialist like a full-stack developer for an upcoming mobile app build. Maybe you have one in-house. If so, do they have available capacity for the upcoming project? If not, can you re-distribute the workload within the team to free them up, or do you need to hire a contractor?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><b>Pro tip: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/best-resource-management-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resource management tool<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that lets you index and search skills will save you time and stress. A skills log lets you quickly find the best resource for a given task based on skills and experience.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4538\" style=\"width: 924px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4538\" class=\"wp-image-4538 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Resource-Gurus-skills-filter-914x671.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Resource Guru's resource management software, showing how you can filter by skills. \" width=\"914\" height=\"671\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Resource-Gurus-skills-filter-914x671.png.webp 914w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Resource-Gurus-skills-filter-968x711.png.webp 968w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Resource-Gurus-skills-filter-1536x1128.png 1536w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Resource-Gurus-skills-filter.png 1664w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 914px) 100vw, 914px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4538\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Easily filter between skills in Resource Guru.<\/p><\/div>\n<h4><b>Delivery backlog<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the planning stage, look at your delivery backlog. You\u2019ll get the heads up about who\u2019s currently being assigned where. You can then give realistic project timelines to new clients. If you need to get things moving quickly, you can reprioritize the team workload or hire more resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Typical hiring timelines<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Revisiting your typical hiring timelines will help you plan how long it could take to find new resources. You can then factor that time into your resource planning and management processes for a given project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><b>Pro tip: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/features\/project-scheduling-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project scheduling software<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will help you quickly schedule your project timelines. But it\u2019ll also keep a record, making it much easier to forecast hiring time for future projects.<\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Stage 2: Resource allocation<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A resource allocation process helps you manage your team over the full project. It\u2019s how you continuously weigh up your project timeline, goals, and milestones against the available team and resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project needs and resource availability may change as the project unfolds (or as you onboard new clients.) So your resource allocation plan needs to have an element of flexibility, while giving employees an expectation of how to use their time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>To create a resource allocation plan, consider:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What information did you gain during the resource estimation stage?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Which talent has the right skill set for the project tasks?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is the talent available? Do they have availability in their schedule?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What days and times are they free to work on the project?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What variables determine when a resource is needed or not?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em><b>Pro tip: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adopting a human-first allocation process will help keep projects on track <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> prioritize your team\u2019s well-being. That\u2019ll mean satisfied clients and a happy team delivering high-quality work throughout.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3X6lT4Q\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-6582 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-943x242.jpg\" alt=\"A rectangle shaped banner in purple featuring a 3D book cover with a prompt to download an eBook about resource planning for agencies.\" width=\"943\" height=\"242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-943x242.jpg.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-1042x268.jpg.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-1536x395.jpg.webp 1536w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-310x80.jpg.webp 310w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1.jpg 1836w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-310x80@2x.jpg.webp 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Stage 3: Resource scheduling\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now you know who you need and how much you\u2019ll need them, it\u2019s time to schedule tasks for your team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>When scheduling resources, consider the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project timeline, milestones, and work required\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any specific skills needed for tasks and subtasks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Available hours of your resources (factoring in part-time or full-time working hours)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scheduled time off (including national holidays) and admin time<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unforeseen time off, like sickness\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time zone differences\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can use the above to make a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">flexible<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> schedule plan for your agency team. Of course, sometimes project timelines change, or you meet a roadblock. But a flexible resource schedule is better than no schedule at all. You can tailor the plan as the project progresses.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><b>Pro tip: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adopt a realistic utilization goal when scheduling resources\u2014an 80% utilization rate will keep your team healthy and productive. A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/features\/resource-scheduling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resource scheduling tool<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with automated utilization rates will let you know when your team is over or under capacity.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Stage 4: Resource optimization<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-execution\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">execution phase<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, your project picture becomes clearer. In the same way you can improve your project plans as they travel from hypotheticals to reality, you can also optimize resource usage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Part of resource optimization is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/workload-planning-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">adjusting workload<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> based on client needs and team availability. But remember, open communication is<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> critical to p<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">roject success. So check in with your team before you start optimizing schedules. If a team member seems under-allocated, ask how they feel about their workload before assigning significant tasks to their plate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resource utilization is also something to factor in here. Your utilization data can help you analyze whether you use resources effectively and efficiently to meet project objectives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><b>Pro tip:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Your resource plan should evolve with the project and broader agency needs. Utilization reports will help you optimize resources throughout the project lifespan. You\u2019ll gain a bird\u2019s eye view of teams and individuals that are crucial to your project. You can then respond to bottleneck<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">s and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-managers-resource-utilization\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">balance your resource utilization<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Stage 5: Resource monitoring and control<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-monitoring-and-control\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project monitoring and control<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are key components to running your project smoothly. Part of this process includes tracking the use of resources and making adjustments as needed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doing so will help you mitigate risk and catch bottlenecks early. That could include finding alternative resources if you have a talent gap. Or adjusting the project schedule if key team members are over-utilized.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Stage 6: Evaluation<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Evaluating progress and successes throughout the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-life-cycle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project life cycle<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is good practice. You\u2019ll likely be revisiting utilization rates and profitability regularly. Then, you can amend plans and optimize your team\u2019s billable hours without exceeding the budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Evaluation is also the best practice for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-closure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project closure<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. At the end of a project, you&#8217;ll gain insights for future projects\u2014like how to make them more profitable. To evaluate your agency\u2019s resource planning and management, ask yourself these questions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Was anyone consistently over-allocated?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Was anyone under-utilized?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did the project take longer than planned due to unavailable resources?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em><b>Pro tip: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We recommend conducting a profitability analysis for your project closure evaluation. A tool with in-built <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/features\/project-forecasting-reports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project forecasting reports<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will show you the percentage of time spent on non-billable work. It\u2019ll also show you whether you over or under-serviced your client.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-to-look-for-in-an-agency-resource-planning-and-management-tool\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What to look for in an agency resource planning and management tool<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So you want to reinvest your hard-earned profits into an <a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/industries\/agencies\/creative\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">agency resource planning and management tool<\/a>? To get the highest return on investment, look out for these features.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"footable_parent_4514\"\n         class=\" footable_parent ninja_table_wrapper loading_ninja_table wp_table_data_press_parent semantic_ui \">\n                <table data-ninja_table_instance=\"ninja_table_instance_1\" data-footable_id=\"4514\" data-filter-delay=\"1000\" aria-label=\"What to look for in an agency resource planning and management tool\"            id=\"footable_4514\"\n           data-unique_identifier=\"ninja_table_unique_id_583439766_4514\"\n           class=\" foo-table ninja_footable foo_table_4514 ninja_table_unique_id_583439766_4514 ui table  nt_type_ajax_table selectable celled striped vertical_centered  footable-paging-right ninja_table_search_disabled ninja_table_pro\">\n                <colgroup>\n                            <col class=\"ninja_column_0 \">\n                            <col class=\"ninja_column_1 \">\n                    <\/colgroup>\n            <\/table>\n    \n    \n    \n<\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Agency-resource-planning-and-management-the-summary\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agency resource planning and management: the summary\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re struggling with low employee retention, reduced team performance, or high client turnover, it\u2019s time to prioritize resource management. Aside from mitigating risk, you\u2019ll also create better outcomes\u2014increased profits, boosted team performance, and happier clients, to name a few.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can save yourself time, money, and a boatload of stress with resource management software. Use a tool that easily tracks billable hours and utilization rates to get the highest return on investment. You\u2019ll also want software with reports and dashboards to plan, manage and evaluate resources in one place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/app.resourceguruapp.com\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start your free 30-day trial today<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Agency resource planning and management processes help you align the right people with available project work. Doing it well leads to happy, productive agency teams committed to delivering high-quality client outcomes. Project success and satisfied clients&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":4473,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","mc4wp_mailchimp_campaign":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[58,55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4470","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resource-management","category-agencies"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Agency resource planning and management guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Agency resource planning and management increases profits and agency performance, creating happier clients and teams. 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