Splashdown are a design agency, best known for their work in the luxury sector, with clients including Estée Lauder, Christian Dior, Clinique and L’Oréal.
We met up with Jonathan Wilson, their New Business Manager, who talked to us about agency efficiency and profitability.
“The information Synergist enables us to source also makes seeing the bigger picture even easier. It has given us a better insight into our business and what we do.”
Splashdown clients
Since they began, Splashdown had been running a paper-based system. But as they grew, managing all the paperwork proved to be increasingly time-consuming and laborious. “More than 20 years down the line, there’s a lot of paper,” said Jonathan Wilson, Splashdown’s New Business Manager.
They also felt that a paper-based system may have the potential to be less accurate than a computer-based system.
“The time came when we had so many jobs going through that we wanted to make sure we were monitoring job flow, time and purchasing more effectively.”
They also hoped to find a system that would increase their profitability. Splashdown looked at three different companies and decided to go with Synergist.
Having had a paper-based system in place for nearly 25 years, they were keen to purchase a solution that would quite closely mirror the way they were used to working. “Synergist had the features we needed, and the cost was right,” explained Jonathan.
Client work by Splashdown for Clinique
Synergist went live at Splashdown in May 2007 and has helped the agency increase profitability. They’ve found that they’re now recording time, materials and expenses more accurately.
Most of these systems were excluded due to their inflexibility, cost and lack of familiarity with agency working patterns.
"Given the agency-wide impact of a new system, the team required a solution which was integrated and adaptable to existing workflows.
And although only small on-costs like laser proofs were missed before, now nothing slips through the net. “We’re billing the time we spend and the materials we use more accurately.”
Client work by Splashdown for Elizabeth Arden
They have more information to help them assess jobs. “We can look at a job and see where we are versus budget,” commented Jonathan. They can also see what they’ve spent and what they’re likely to spend.
The information Synergist enables them to source also makes seeing the bigger picture even easier. “It has given us a better insight into our business and what we do.”
“The actual switch-over was completed in just 3 days, resulting in very little disruption.” “Any alterations to the branded layouts and report modifications required during the first few weeks were turned around very quickly by the Synergist help desk, often on the same day,” said David Watson, Head of IT.
Client work by Splashdown for Selfridges
Synergist has proved to be an excellent choice for Splashdown and has helped make an already successful agency even more profitable.
“It has made life easier and I know we’re making more profit on every job than we did before,” said Jonathan.
Whatever your agency looks like – 10 to 500 people, design to digital –
Synergist can be shaped to the way you work.
See it for yourself.
Synergist consultants, Agency Works, will be in touch to arrange your bespoke demo. Their experience working with hundreds of agencies means they can help you work out what's right for you.