As long as you get your work done, who cares how you do it?
If you find yourself agreeing with the above statement, you could be overlooking just how important individual tasks are.
Tasks are not just minor to-dos that you can store and check off without considering the outcome. They’re often the building blocks for big and meaningful projects.
Projects, especially when they’re for clients, can be fast-paced and stressful. Efficient and accurate task management matters.
In this article, we’ll talk about why outdated task lists don’t support modern project management approaches — and what a better task management tool looks like.
A simple to-do list may work for house chores but is too limited for business applications.
If every member of your team lists their tasks in a separate place, they don’t have enough visibility to track the project’s overall progress. There’s also no reliable method of troubleshooting because you can’t hold people accountable for what you don’t see.
Just as it’s impossible to direct a ship when everyone is rowing in different directions, it’s impossible to complete a project when everyone is using a different task management strategy.
In worst-case scenarios, overlooking one critical task can lead to project shutdown.
Imagine an accounting firm using spreadsheets or a paper-based system to track client audits and tax filings. They could easily miss critical deadlines without real-time updates and oversight. Or, an engineering team might find they’ve overcommitted resources without a clear understanding of each person’s workload, leading to burnout and delays.
The risks and costs of limited task management can impact your business reputation and financial stability. A lack of clarity and direction can overwhelm your team, which contributes to higher turnover, slower project delivery and less innovation.
Plus, no matter your industry, your competitors are never far away. If they’re using advanced technology to streamline project management and you’re not, it doesn’t matter how detailed your task lists are. You’ll fall further behind every day.
Let’s talk about how you can use task management strategy to make high productivity and profitability the norm.
Your business processes will be more effective if you choose tech that elevates basic functions. To get away from inconsistent task management, find software that allows you to:
Good task manager software is a central hub for all project activities. Your team will no longer need to chase down information or wonder about their priorities.
READ NEXT: Project Task Tracking Software: Vetting and Feature Considerations
Task management software is a tool that helps teams organize and prioritize tasks, view deadlines and check off tasks. Many task managers have functionalities that link tasks based on dependencies, send automated reminders for upcoming due dates, set up recurring tasks and build workflows for complex projects.
An effective task manager tool helps teams streamline work to improve efficiency, productivity and, ultimately, profitability.
While all task management platforms are a bit different, you should aim to leverage as many features as possible. Here’s what your process might look like.
Start by familiarizing yourself with the task manager’s interface. Typically when you open task manager software, the first thing you should see is a dashboard. The dashboard provides an overview of your projects, tasks, deadlines and performance metrics. Spend some time exploring:
Once you’re comfortable with the basic features, go ahead and input your project tasks in the taskbar. This might involve:
Collaboration features ensure clear dialog among team members, as well as constant communication. Be sure to:
Finally, use your task management tool to analyze performance and optimize processes. This could look like:
Transitioning to sophisticated task manager software is like moving from a dimly lit room into bright sunlight. Suddenly, everything is connected and clear.
When you can see how tasks fit together with dependencies — and your team has the information they need to be proactive — managing projects is a radically different experience.
In Accelo, you can create and view tasks associated with a sale, project, ticket, retainer or other object without leaving the screen you’re on.
An automated task manager ensures that your projects are always moving forward, even when you’re not watching. It automatically updates task statuses and assigns tasks based on availability. Notifications keep everyone aware of upcoming deadlines so that there’s as little dead time between tasks as possible.
The best task management softwares will offer templates and automated workflows to speed up all stages of project management. Routine tasks are swiftly and accurately handled. For example, compiling data for reports or sending follow-up reminders to clients whose payments are overdue.
A clear visual representation of project timelines and milestones keeps everyone on track, making it easier to anticipate upcoming tasks and adjust workloads. Visualizing an entire project lifecycle can help you predict and prevent bottlenecks.
Break down big, daunting tasks into smaller subtasks that are more manageable. That way, it’s clear what the next step is and who’s responsible. You can also assign deadlines and dependencies to each subtask, which links every stage of a project so that you can avoid going back to long, disconnected task lists.
It’s critical to understand how your resources are used. A task manager with powerful resource monitors, such as a team-scheduling feature, can show you the bigger picture. Bonus if it has time tracking to help you calculate your employee utilization rate.
Unlike a basic to-do list, software that’s made for project managers gives you the opportunity to reallocate resources mid-project and stick to the timeline you promised the client.
Task management software is a win-win: smoothly running processes benefit not only your team but also your clients.
Intentional task management is a key component of successful project execution. But in isolation, even the most powerful task manager can fall short of helping you reach your business and project delivery goals.
To truly harness what’s possible with task management software, it should be integrated with all of your essential client work functions. Let’s explore the outcomes of connecting tasks with some of these functions.
Your client work doesn’t begin when you open your laptop and set up a project. It starts the moment you make contact with a lead and nurture them as a prospect. It continues when they reach out for support as an existing client and consider signing on for recurring work.
Tasks are the threads that connect each and every one of these stages, so they should be managed in a central place.
Australian consulting firm TradiePad used Accelo’s triggers and progressions to reduce lag time between tasks. As a result, they increased productivity by 30%.
In the past, task management may have been something you could handle on your own. It was little more than a checklist before task manager software arrived on the scene. Now, it’s about being dynamic and adaptable. As the professional services market evolves, you need technology that can help you excel despite any pressures that arise.
The right task-tracking software is a strategic asset. And a platform with end-to-end client work features tremendously enhances that asset's value.
Don’t just manage tasks — streamline your entire client work lifecycle with Accelo. Book a demo to take the first step toward a more integrated, efficient and profitable future.
