projects/easier-agency-directory/operations.md

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Standard Operating Procedures

👋 Writing SOP’s 🟢

SOP’s are the building blocks of a smooth-running business. {color="purple"} By ensuring everyone knows what is expected of them, what needs to be delivered, and how to best deliver it, we can all be aligned and work harmoniously without a stressful, reactive day-to-day. When Does This Start? {color="purple"} 1. During the initial building of our SOP writing pages 2. Whenever any part of any task is found to be any of the following: 1. too repetitive 2. time-consuming 3. can be templated 4. made obsolete by a better technology / tool 5. a roadblock / bottleneck What’s Our Definition Of Done? {color="purple"} A step by step, foolproof guide to completing every function of Easier Agency **Team - ** {color="purple"}

👋 Regular relationship management

This is where we manage the day to day relationship, keep the client updated about what we’re working on, our insights and thoughts, and deliberate with clients on the next action items for the fulfilment teams. {color="orange"} Client + Team - ** {color="orange"} 1. Relationship Executive maintains async comms to progress projects {color="orange"} - Proactive - Monthly: - Strategy update - Weekly: - Share new creative previews - Share report snapshot with data storytelling - Share media buying reporting and change log - Reactive - All messages must receive answers within 24 hours - Responses should answer all questions and provide proactive advice - For questions Relationship Executive can’t answer, ask Relationship Manager (if regarding project management process) or project team (if regarding fulfilment) - For questions we can’t answer, share next steps and set time expectation for when a solution will be provided 2. Relationship Executive preps agenda for calls, and prompts project team for input {color="orange"} 3. Relationship Executive + Marketing Manager calls client {color="orange"} - Fortnightly: - Call regarding regular catch up - Every 6 months: - Call regarding next phase (aka upsell) - IRL meeting if client is in same country 4. Is onboarded with access to client portal {color="orange"} Team - {color="orange"} 1. Sends email with agenda and weekly updates 1 day before scheduled call {color="orange"} 2. Attends fortnightly meetings to discuss {color="orange"} 3. After client meetings, send summary 1. Always include a timeline for execution. Whether or not we hit the mark precisely, we need to be at least communicating aspirational timelines to clients as much as possible. Ideally we hit them or exceed them, and whenever we don’t, we proactively communicate a need for more time. 4. [edit: this is Operations meeting] - How everyone is - Performance for each account - Bottlenecks - Focus tasks for the week - We require a written record of \\">50% budget increases from the client\ - Project health - Sales pipeline - Troubleshooting challenges - Team capacity - Agency development 5. Processes invoices, flags payment issues {color="orange"} 6"} 6. Proactively builds and maintains client relationships 1. Regular proactive talking points 2. Frequent reactive talking points 3. Incidents 1. Frequently ignored messages or \\">48h response times\ 1. Escalate to Relationship Manager 2. Relationship manager reviews the case with Relationship executive 3. Relationship manager sends message to client, asking how they can help ensure messages get responses on time 2. Changes in scope 3. Challenge on service / fulfilment terms 4. Unprofessional conduct 5. Information requests 1. Faults 2. [page url="https://app.notion.com/p/80aec1616f454ff3a5104da04e9c8abb"]Client Services Examples[/page] 3. Emergencies 1. Website outage: pause ads, communicate with client, prepare to take advantage with email 4. At 3 month mark, get a case study and testimonial 1. Send email 2. Example: > Hi [CLIENT NAME]\ > Today as we round out our first 3 months of working together, we wanted to drop a general thank you for the opportunity to support [BUSINESS NAME]’s growth 🎉\ > As mentioned at the start of our engagement, we'd like to begin pulling together our case study reflecting back on the great work we've done together. \\ > Can we confirm that we have your permission for such a case study and that you're open to providing a testimonial on the highlights?\ > We'd really appreciate it.\ > Many thanks,
Anthony Client -** {color="orange"} 1. Client tasks: {color="orange"}

1. Managing and communicating about cashflow, freeing up budget for ads {color="orange"} Pointers {color="orange"} Respond within 1 hour with plans of action for all upset clients, but for anger vs disappointment in the stakeholder, frame comms a little differently. Put more focus on explanations for angry clients, and more empathy for sad clients. [source\\]

Deactivated Clients

👋 Stopping a service

Some clients will need to deactivate some or all services, hopefully only temporarily. {color="orange"} Here we amend our activity plans to accommodate this. {color="orange"} Client - {color="orange"} 1. Requests to pause service(s) {color="orange"} **Team - ** {color="orange"} 1. Pause ads activity {color="orange"} 2. Pause reporting {color="orange"} 3. Switch regular catch-ups to un-pause follow-ups {color="orange"} 4. Settles outstanding invoices {color="orange"} 5. Adjusts agency forecast and finance docs {color="orange"}

👋 Offboarding a client

If a client needs to cancel working with us entirely, this is the process for removing them from our client list. {color="orange"} Client - {color="orange"} 1. Hands in notice or cancels direct debit {color="orange"} Team - ** {color="orange"} 1. Agrees whether the client is worth keeping or not {color="orange"} - If yes: 1. Schedules immediate call to understand main objections to staying, counters objections, get client to agree to a retention goal, i.e. ”What do you need to see to stay on?” 2. If agrees to stay on: 1. Writes plan on how to hit retention goal 2. Shares plan with client 3. Adds review to call agenda at end of notice 4. Executes on plan! - If doesn’t agree to stay on: 1. Completes any agreed outstanding work 2. Finishes with the client amicably 2. Settles outstanding invoices {color="orange"} 3. Adjusts agency forecast and finance docs {color="orange"} 4. Handles up to 2.5 hours of requested handover {color="orange"} Back to: SOP Wiki 🟡 {color="gray_bg"} Previous: RELATIONSHIPS 🟡 ** {color="yellow_bg"} Next:** FULFILMENT 🟡 {color="red_bg"}