Making the Most of Advantage and Webvantage through a Process Audit
Optimization of your agency using automation tools like Advantage and Webvantage
can bring many benefits that include:
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Increased productivity and efficiency in every department
Minimization of errors that cost time and money
Increased access to management information to aid in making important
decisions
Added value to your clients which makes you more competitive
Advertising agencies often experience difficulties automating departments and bringing
them together due to the nature of the business. With the focus on the client, internal
procedures are often bypassed in lieu of getting jobs completed. To make things more
difficult, systems available (such as Advantage) are constantly changing and growing.
It's difficult to keep up. But when optimization is done, everyone wins. And the good
news is, you already own the tools you need to succeed!
By implementing Advantage and Webvantage, you can solve problems at the core level
first (working from the inside-out). Processes can be analyzed and then optimized using
the tools available. As a by-product, agency leaders have the information 'they' need to
make important business decisions.
The Process Audit, conducted by an Advantage Certified Consultant, allows you to
quickly find obvious gaps and weaknesses in operational areas that can be optimized.
The remainder of this overview document describes the process and the steps that
(when followed) will ensure your success.
Discovery
Before we can take steps and make recommendations as to what processes need to be
automated and/or modified, it is important to review them in their current state. In
general we need to:
 Identify the winning strategies and workflow procedures that make your agency
unique or successful in some way. This can include anything from a specific
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procedure to a special client report or even a particular way of delivering
information.
Review your existing 'standard' processes and procedures and determine your
overall opportunities and goals for improvement.
o If automation is already in place, determine if the procedures are as efficient
as they can be.
o If automation is lacking, determine if there is an application or feature
available in Advantage that will bring significant benefits and will justify
making a change.
How to Get Started
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Department/Team Leaders - Identify department or team leaders, they will be
important to your success. They will help to review current procedures, develop and
test new procedures, create procedural manuals, obtain training required and
ensure new employees are trained.
Departmental Questionnaire* - Department/team leaders will fill out this
questionnaire outlining job duties and document how they are performed in their
respective departments. The results help us to identify tasks that are done manually
or more than once. Note that a task done in Excel is still 'manual'.
Workflow Chart –Use the Workflow Chart** to document the 'steps' in each key
process. You will need a different workflow chart for each distinct area of your
business. For example, the Print Production workflow process will be slightly
different than the Digital Production process, and the Media Buying process will be
much different than the Production process, etc. A workflow process starts at the
conception of the project and ends with its closing. Only key steps need to be
included.
o Within the Workflow Chart, document the current procedure for completing
each step in the process. The 'procedure' is the 'way' something is done. For
example if the step is to create a client estimate, the procedure may be one
of the following:
 Create the estimate in Word and deliver via email.
 Create the estimate in Excel and deliver via email.
 Create the estimate in Advantage or Webvantage and deliver via
Alert).
Alerts and Alert Assignments - As the process becomes more defined, we may
determine that Alerts and Alert Assignments can play a role in automating your
processes while minimizing data entry on things like schedules. We’ll cover this
during the audit process. See the Workflow Sample (using Schedules and Alerts)**
‘word’ document and the Alerts and Alert Assignments Users Guides** for more
information.
Identify Ways to Optimize through Automation
Once the discovery and review process has been done, we’ll identify applications or
tools in the system that can further optimize your procedures, and identify procedures
that can be changed or improved 'because' of the automation tools available. There
are many different ways to learn about the tools, but your consultant will work with you
on determining the best way to introduce and train your staff on the system. In
addition to the consulting services you will receive as part of the process audit, these
other resources are available:
 Implementation Guide – This guide outlines all the technicalities related to
setting up the system and the various options that are available.
 Advantage Software Support staff members are available to answer your
questions on how individual applications and tools work.
 Documentation is available for all applications and accessible directly from the
main menus of Advantage and Webvantage.
 Free Webinars are provided weekly, covering all existing and new features that
the system has to offer.
 Website/Client Portal - In addition to displaying all the system's standard
features, the Users Portal (accessed from the website) provides plenty of
detailed 'Users Guides' and other information that is designed to help you
understand what you have to work with. This is also where you'll see the free
webinar calendar. www.gotoadvantage.com.
Implementation:
Once we review and identify the areas of your business that can be optimized, the next
step is to implement. Implementation includes developing and documenting
procedures as well as training employees. The following steps will need to be followed
in order to achieve success. Your consultant will help you through this process:
 Empower Performance! Create a 'can do' and cooperative culture through
Leadership. Use your Department/Team Leaders!
 Get everybody on board by communicating the benefits and providing the 'ways'
and the 'means' for optimizing their time, regardless of the role they are in.
o Some people, like Creatives or Programmers will have very few
interactions with a system. But they should be positive ones. Quick, easy
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and helpful. Others like AE's, Production and Media personnel are in the
system constantly. So they'll have the most room for improvement.
Develop new procedures based on the results of review and identification.
Test new procedures before they are implemented.
Develop written procedural guidelines or manuals. This is important!
Train employees on new procedures. Training should always have your
procedures in mind, as you're using the software tools.
Ensure that procedures are being followed.
Develop a 'new employee' training program and make sure all new employees
understand your procedures and how the software tools work.
Review new developments in software (Advantage and any other software being
used) and decide which new features can benefit the department.
Modify procedures as needed. Good procedures can motivate and create
“synergy” but if procedures are not working as planned, it could sour attitudes
o Be sure to test your new procedures and modify them until they achieve
the desired result. Managers should meet with employees in their
respective departments periodically to find out where they are doing
things manually or twice. Find out where their problems lie. Make
changes where needed.
The Advantage staff is available to ensure you have all the information you need
to make the most of the system. We are also in place to listen to your ideas and
respond to your needs. If we can make the product better or easier to use,
please let us know. Enhancement suggestions can be made directly from our
website.
Advantage Consulting Fees
On-site consultation or training per day (plus travel expenses)
Phone consultation and related tasks (hourly)
Internet training (hourly)
$1,300
$ 150
$ 150
*The Departmental Questionnaire Word document accompanies this document as a separate attachment.
**Noted documents accompany this document as separate attachment.