This is a guest blog post by Laura Redmond. Laura runs Redmond Accounting, a cloud-based accounting firm, and is a partner at Cloud Consultancy, the publisher of AERO. Method is her tool-of-choice for automating manual business processes.
AERO is a new app for Method CRM that allows you to manage multiple staff performing multiple recurring tasks for multiple clients. It was developed because at Redmond Accounting, our previous process for keeping track of tasks proved to be inefficient. We are a staff of 5 who work remotely from our offices on both the East & West coast. We work with many different types of businesses, and even though our processes are standardized, our work can still vary from client to client. Before AERO, we would save everything in a master Excel spreadsheet that we kept on a server. However, this resulted in even more complications for us beyond the typical range of human error and file corruption. Since we already used Method CRM to manage our clients, it made perfect sense to create an app that would solve this one last challenge.
Here are the top three biggest pain points for task management that led us to create AERO.
1). Staff needed to know what tasks are due and when
With one master Excel sheet, only one person could access it at a time. Furthermore, even when tasks were completed they were still in the spreadsheet, both daily and infrequent tasks were listed, and everyone could see everyone else’s tasks. With such a large size our staff spent a great deal of time searching through it to determine what was needed from them that day. With AERO, each employee can find his or her own tasks easily and only needs to see what needs to be completed that day.
2). Tasks are listed without context
An excel spreadsheet can only hold so much information on each task, it is difficult to include notes on the task’s status, how to perform it, or client information without cluttering up the file for other staff that don’t need access to that information. The workaround for this was for each staff member to have his or her own cheat sheets and client docs. All of this is compiled together in AERO; each task includes notes and relevant info viewable on the same page.
3). Managers need to keep track without micromanaging
It’s always crucial to know exactly what your employees are working on and that it gets completed on time. I found it difficult to do so without sacrificing their ability to work independently and without interference. Too little time spent tracking everyone’s task, and important work may fall through the cracks; too much time, and your employees will think that they are not trusted. AERO solves this dilemma by giving managers a bird’s eye view of everyone’s tasks while in Method CRM. Thus, they can make sure their staff gets everything done while each employee is uninterrupted.
What have been your pain points for task management? What about your solutions? How could your firm use a service like AERO? Although AERO was designed for accounting firms with multiple clients and similar recurring activities, its task management system can be used by any company that wants to enhance their Method CRM experience.
AERO is available on the Method CRM app store at a subscription rate of $15 per month per user and requires Method CRM Pro. If you’d like to find out more about the app, please comment below or join our LinkedIn group by clicking HERE.
Laura Redmond
Redmond Accounting
Bio: Laura Redmond enjoys organizing everything from data to shoes. In addition to running a totally cloud-based accounting firm, Redmond Accounting, she is a partner at Cloud Consultancy, the publisher of AERO. Method is her tool-of-choice for automating manual business processes.