by Bob Schultek, COO

As the telos business grows, so does our need to efficiently, accurately and proactively manage increasingly complex engagements so that client objectives are achieved.  A key differentiator for telos is our awareness of and accountability for delivering the expected client ROI for the programs entrusted to us.

To address this need, during late 2016 and early 2017, telos tested several project management programs.   We evaluated features, benefits, limitations, compatibility with Google, M/S and our CRM tool, global access, updatability, as well as investment and commitment requirements.

Late in 2016, we made our selection and decided to invest in a project management tool named Wrike (www.wrike.com).  We spent the early part of 2017 beta testing the tool to ensure that it meets our needs and objectives, and a few months ago, began to implement it for all active programs.  This new Wrike software has improved our project management productivity and precision, enabling us to replace the combination of tools we had been using with a single user-friendly program.

One of our objectives for Wrike is to provide limited access for coaches to use as a project management/tracker application, eliminating the Excel based project tracking tool that our coaches know so well.  Providing access to Wrike will enable coaches to receive reminders about upcoming coaching visits, to have access to session templates and exercises, and to utilize as a tool to assist them with session planning.

Several coaches have collaborated with us to test the Wrike application and they advise that it saves time and effort.

“I appreciate the convenience of accessing the information from any device” says Betsy Ross, “Wrike is a more streamlined tracking tool and it’s easier for me see the timeline (in one place). While I feel like I’m still a novice in using Wrike, I’m excited about the potential I see in it, and will continue to work with it to see where I experience additional benefits and streamlining of workflow. ”

We’ll soon be providing Wrike access for all telos coaches so if you haven’t yet been introduced to Wrike, expect to be invited to a training session soon.