Need for a reevaluation of Current Digital Media Processes.

Centro announced the first in a series of research surveys and reports designed to shine a spotlight on various aspects of the online advertising workplace. The first study gauges digital media planning efficiency and workforce productivity. The results offer some of the first empirical evidence illustrating the need for more streamlined digital media processes to combat the much discussed issues of efficiency and scalability, as well as the overall lack of time available for strategic thinking.

According to the result findings:

* 85 percent of respondents state directly that they would like to spend more time on highly strategic work, but are required to devote the bulk of their time to managing administrative or logistical activities

* Nearly half (43 percent) of the industry spends more than four hours a day working in Excel

* Nearly half (49 percent) of the industry spends more than four hours composing or responding to email strictly for work purposes

* 45 percent of media planning professionals work more than 10 hours per day

These firsthand statements from media professionals on the front lines of the industry are inarguable testaments to the need for a more efficient process to not only balance the ratio of administrative to strategic work, but also improve overall job satisfaction.

Also indicative of the lack of efficiency is the fact that each day, 43 percent of media planners spend over four hours working in Excel spreadsheets and 49 percent spend over four hours composing and responding to emails. The conclusion can be drawn that nearly half of each workday is spent utilizing legacy technologies to conduct administrative tasks, leaving little time for strategy and client services.

“The digital media industry is still reliant on tools that were the standard over a decade ago, and, as a result, media planners are struggling with long workdays and a disproportionate amount of time devoted to logistics versus strategy and high-value activities,” said Shawn Riegsecker, president and founder, Centro. “By streamlining workflow and processes through software automation, agencies can become more profitable and allow their teams to focus on more strategic and creative activities while providing a more sustainable work-life balance.”

For more information at http://www.centro.net>