Looking for advice on fixed hours agency work and daily logging
Is anyone experienced with Agency work? Working only on fixed hours every month and loging them in every day in platform.
Is anyone experienced with Agency work? Working only on fixed hours every month and loging them in every day in platform.
Right now I am working for a big client, we audit 10 markets in behalf of the umbrella brand. I do stakeholder interview for all markets, audit, analyisis, Polls, Secondary research, Personas Buyers Journey and last playbooks for all markets. Each market is very challenging, everything needs for time to brainstorm but my colleague has also limited hours. I have never worked like this before so if you can validate my situation here being contstraint will help me to see if i should allocat emy hours properly or simply request for more. The project has to finish end of March and started begging of December. Ay feedback would help. I want to do the deep dive and see what I will discover and also provide solutions but I end up always out of time. 1. Audit & Stakeholder interviews 27.5 Hours 2. Persona Matrix & Persona Profiles 30.0 Hours 3. User Journey Diagrams & Opportunities 33.0 Hours 4. Final Documentation & Recommendations 41.0 Hours 5. Workshop Summary & Alignment Docs 23.0 Hours
Hi Nicoleta! Classic scope creep on a multi-market project. Quick fix: "Core + Variation" approach
Weeks 1-3: Deep dive on 2-3 pilot markets, create reusable master templates (persona canvas, journey framework, playbook structure)
Week 4: For remaining 7-8 markets, map only the deltas vs core (2h/market max): cultural differences, local pains, 2-3 key quotes
Weeks 5-6: Fast assembly: clone templates, swap local elements
Realistic savings: From 155h to ~90h (-40%) keeping full coverage. Red flag: If client wants deep dive on all, formal escalation: "Current scope requires 400-500h. With 155h I propose Core+Variation to guarantee deliverables by March. Alternatives: extend timeline or reduce to 6 priority markets." Markets share 70-80% patterns. Optimize for impact, not perfection. Template the 80%, personalize the 20% that matters. Happy to jump on a call to detail the framework if helpful. 💪
Thanks so much Gianluca D. All really useful, my only issue is the time I need to brainstorm with my colleague who has less hours than me and I requested to at least have 5 hours extra assigned to meet but wasn’t accepted because what has been asigned to us is according the agreement with the client and we cant move things around only option is for me to give my colleague a few of my hours. Should I try to insist? Any feedbacks? He is in the digital marketing I am a brand strategist I find his feedback very useful.
Good, the framework clicked. Now it's about unblocking collaboration. Two paths: 1. Async mode (if 5h sync impossible):
You build templates on pilot markets (weeks 1-3)
Record 30min walkthrough, share docs
He applies to remaining markets independently
You do final QA
His limited hours stop being a bottleneck. 2. Fight for the 5h (better option): Tell PM: "Without alignment sessions, we risk inconsistent outputs across 10 markets. 5h collaboration (weeks 2, 3, 5) protects delivery quality per client agreement. Otherwise sequential work = timeline slip." Quality risk > budget rigidity if they care about the deliverable. My take: Don't give your hours away unless you trust he can run with the framework solo. His input is valuable but you own the strategy. The 5h sync is a project need, not a favor.
Apreciate it Gianluca D. 🙏
Well done Gianluca D.!
Thanks Ben B. 🙌
