Challenge
A thriving creative agency was attracting a steady stream of new clients. This growth highlighted the need for a more structured approach to handle the increased project load and maintain quality and timeliness. The young, motivated team was highly dedicated but faced challenges balancing multiple roles, often taking on client communication and project management in addition to their creative tasks. This sometimes led to delays and frustration for clients who needed more visibility on project timelines and deliverables.
As demand increased, the agency struggled to keep projects within scope, frequently accommodating additional client requests without a clear structure for managing or billing these extras. This led to scope creep, stretched deadlines, and an overextended team. Clients often required multiple revisions and ad hoc support, making it challenging to predict project completion times and meet deadlines. Additionally, the reliance on spreadsheets for project tracking limited the team’s ability manage project effectively, resulting in reactive scheduling and prioritisation based on client deadlines rather than a proactive workflow.
The agency needed a scalable solution to streamline operations, provide clients with a better experience, and create a sustainable growth path for the team.
Approach
- Refining Scope and Pricing: We reviewed all service packages to define clear boundaries around project scope, preventing unintended scope creep. By introducing add-on services with transparent pricing, the agency could now offer clients additional support without compromising timelines or stretching resources.
- Establishing a Workflow and Implementing a Project Management System: We implemented a project management tool to replace spreadsheets, enabling clear tracking of project progress. This new system organised work into sprints, with each sprint having specific deliverables and client check-ins. By scheduling projects into distinct phases, the team could now anticipate workloads, manage clients effectively, and plan effectively — resulting in a predictable, proactive workflow.
- Clarifying Team Roles and Strengths: We realigned team roles to allow each member to focus on their strengths, reducing distractions and improving productivity. A dedicated project manager was appointed to handle client communication, deadlines, and administrative tasks, freeing designers to concentrate fully on project delivery. The project manager also helped increase client satisfaction by maintaining consistent client updates.
- Streamlining Client Communication: To improve the client experience, we introduced structured mid-project review sessions, reducing the need for frequent ad hoc calls. This allowed clients to track progress and share feedback at planned intervals, helping maintain project momentum. By setting deadlines for client deliverables and maintaining revision boundaries, the agency could keep projects on track, reduce last-minute changes, and close projects more efficiently.
- Building Leadership Capacity: Recognising the importance of internal growth, the more experienced team members were trained to take on leadership roles, such as handling client feedback, managing conflicts, and making critical project decisions. This freed up the founder to focus on creative direction and strategic business planning, while the senior team members provided more immediate, day-to-day support for both clients and colleagues.
Results
- Revenue Growth: Revenue doubled within 12 months due to streamlined project management, enhanced throughput, and strategically increased pricing for services.
- Reduced Scope Creep: Clearly defined service packages and proactive upselling led to fewer revisions and unexpected additions, making projects more predictable and profitable.
- Improved Workflow: The new sprint-based workflow and the implementation of a project management system reduced ambiguity, and helped the team operate with a clear, structured approach.
- Higher Team Satisfaction: With team members focused on core tasks and their “zone of genius”, job satisfaction and productivity improved significantly.
- Enhanced Client Experience: Clients now had clear visibility on project progress, consistent communication, and faster, more reliable delivery timelines. This clarity reduced client frustration and contributed to stronger client relationships.
Through this project, the agency transformed from a fast-growing but reactive organisation to a well-structured, proactive operation ready to scale further while maintaining high client satisfaction and team morale.