Situation

The NYC-based full service eCommerce agency “Roswell” found themselves growing quickly in 2022 but realized fast the new problems that this uncharted territory presented. 

Struggle

Growing fast meant many of the systems they were relying on to make decisions and plan ahead were no longer sustainable. Data driven decisions were imperative to continuing down the right path, but insight into operational metrics were hard to calculate. Building out a system to bring this data together was difficult as the team was busy tending to Roswell’s growing roster of clients, making data operations a side-project.

As the company scaled, and subjective or gut-based decision making was breaking down, the team was increasingly seeking data to help them answer the questions they had every day.

3 Step Solution

Roswell followed a three step process to build their reporting capabilities and get aligned internally on how to move forward.

1. Audit

First, an Agency Audit gave the skeptical Roswell team insight into areas for improvement. Of course, Roswell knew the bottom line could be better… but knowing improvement needs to happen doesn’t show you where the opportunity is. The Audit was able to pinpoint specific opportunities to improve profitability that were unique to Roswell’s context.  In particular, they had a significant opportunity to improve their Average Billable Rate through tighter estimation & scope management and Delivery Margin (about 15% away from the recommended bare minimum of 50%). 

2. Setup

Armed with strategies to enhance Delivery Margin and ABR, Roswell partnered with Parakeeto to initiate a ‘Predict and Optimize’ setup phase. In this phase, ensuring internal consistency across various tools—including project management, time tracking, pricing, and estimation—was essential.

3. Optimize

After the initial setup, Roswell continued to collaborate with Parakeeto during the ‘Optimize Ongoing’ phase, ensuring consistent access to all reporting inputs and outputs. They established a rhythm of biweekly check-ins, allowing Roswell and Parakeeto to jointly track and analyze metrics, fostering a shared understanding of the data’s insights.

Summary

Any client approaching Parakeeto should already have a remarkable service that delivers excellent results to their clients; that’s something we at Parakeeto don’t have control over. However, witnessing Roswell’s impressive growth in 2021, we recognized their untapped potential was linked to achieving internal consistency and enhancing their monitoring of key improvement areas, particularly in Delivery Margin and ABR.

Roswell’s dedication to this process has bestowed them with the clarity essential for assessing past performance and projecting future outcomes. They are now equipped with insights that not only reflect on their historical achievements but also provide a clear forecast for their future trajectory.