Biggest Insecurity
Insecurity: As the company grew, time data sat with senior management. Project managers and project directors could not see how much time went into their projects. That made it hard to manage workload and stay aware of the effort each project was taking.
After implementation: Project managers and project directors now have access to the same time data. The people running the work can see where time is going, and the company has a clearer view of who is stretched and who has room to take on more.
Company Introduction
Cordis Bright is a research and evaluation firm based in the UK. Most of their work is public sector, with central government, local authorities, and the National Health Service.
The company has around 30 to 35 people. Alongside My Hours, they use Gantt charts in spreadsheets to plan individual projects.
The Problem
Excel worked while the company was small, but as the team grew, it stopped keeping up. The number of projects was not the issue, the number of people was. The spreadsheet also had a second flaw, as only senior management could see the data. The people running projects had no view of the time going into their work, and the company wanted to change that.
Situation Before Using My Hours
1.
They first used another timesheet tool, then switched to tracking time in an Excel spreadsheet.
2.
With 10 to 15 people, the spreadsheet was still manageable.
3.
As the team grew, headcount became the breaking point. The volume of projects did not matter as much as the number of people filling things in.
4.
The spreadsheet served senior management, but the data stopped there. Project managers and project directors had no access, so awareness of time spent on projects was limited to the top.
How My Hours Solved the Problem
1.
Time is now recorded against each project, including anything non-billable, in one place.
2.
Access opened up beyond senior management. Project managers and project directors can see the time data, so the people running projects work from the same picture.
3.
The company uses it for performance and organisational management. Managers can see who is working really hard and who has more time available.
4.
It was clear how to use from the start. On the rare question Colin could not work out through the website, support was prompt and helpful.
Key Benefits
- Simple and focused. It does one job and does it well.
- Time tracked against every project, billable and non-billable, in one place.
- Shared visibility. Project managers and directors see the data, not just senior management.
- Better workload management. A clear view of who is stretched and who has capacity.
- Pricing that fit what they needed.
- Prompt, helpful, considerate support from a team where the customer matters.
Why My Hours?
Colin found My Hours himself. He searched for the best timesheet tool and came across an article comparing options. He also looked at Zoho, but it had too many features the company did not need.
My Hours won on simplicity. It was a clear timesheet monitoring system, it was obvious how to use, and the pricing worked. As Colin put it, "this is what it is, this is what it does." He believes it would still cover their needs even if the company doubled in size. The one area he would like to see grow is the metrics side, along with a more forward-looking tool that helps plan work ahead, rather than only logging time after it happens.
Recommendation
"I would definitely recommend it, for the same reasons we use it: its focus and simplicity. [...] Your customer service team has been prompt, helpful and considerate. My impression is that you’re a relatively small team where the customer matters, and that’s a nice feeling."
Colin Horswell, Managing Director, Cordis Bright
