As the largest agricultural marketing agency in the U.S., Bader Rutter is a recognized leader in delivering award-winning, full-service marketing solutions. The agency handles complex, high-volume client work across strategy, creative, digital, media, and more.
But as their business continued to grow, the agency saw an opportunity to refine how internal work was tracked and managed—ensuring that their operational workflows matched the sophistication of the work they delivered.
“We were managing timelines in Smartsheet, but it wasn’t cutting it,” said Andrea Spatz, Director, Program Management and Workflow at Bader Rutter. “We’d experimented with Agile, Kanban boards, even Excel trackers. But none of it fit how we’re structured as an agency. It was time for a real solution.”
Choosing the Right Partner in Agency Project Management
When Bader Rutter set out to find a better solution for managing its work, it wasn’t just about ticking boxes on a feature list. The agency was looking for something more meaningful—a true partner who understood the realities of agency project management and could evolve with their needs over time.
Andrea and her team began with a rigorous vetting process, evaluating platforms like Smartsheet, Monday.com, and ClickUp. Each platform offered core features like timelines, task lists, and collaboration tools—but as the evaluation progressed, it became clear that Workzone brought something deeper to the table.
“Most platforms offer similar functionality. But what set Workzone apart was the relationship. Their openness to listen, their willingness to have real conversations, and the responsiveness of their support team—that’s what made the difference.”
– Andrea Spatz Director, Program Management and Workflow
Unlike other tools where support tickets can feel transactional or anonymous, Workzone’s support model is personal and high-touch. “When I submit a chat request, I know I’m going to talk to someone who knows us, knows our structure, and understands how we use the tool. That kind of continuity is incredibly valuable—especially when you’re managing dozens of client deliverables every day.”
The contrast with other platforms was stark. “With Smartsheet, I never knew who I was talking to or whether they had any context about our agency. With Workzone, it’s like having an extension of our own team on the other side of the screen.”
That deep integration between software and service became a key differentiator—and a reason why the team felt confident in their choice. Andrea emphasized that they weren’t just buying a tool; they were choosing a long-term partner who would support their agency project management strategy in a practical, human way.
“Support isn’t an afterthought at Workzone. It’s embedded in how they operate. They don’t just respond quickly—they come back with ideas, solutions, even proactive enhancements that make our work easier.”
– Andrea Spatz, Director, Program Management and Workflow
That customer-first mindset has had a lasting impact. From implementation to ongoing support to product updates, the Workzone team has continually demonstrated their investment in Bader Rutter’s success—making them not just a software provider, but a trusted collaborator.
Supporting a Sophisticated Structure with Portfolio-Level Visibility
One of the biggest advantages Workzone brought to Bader Rutter was its ability to support the agency’s existing structure, not force a new one.
“We operate in an ecosystem model—teams that work across groups of clients, almost like agencies within the agency,” Andrea explained. “Workzone’s workspace and grouping features allow us to mirror that structure exactly.”
Each client is organized in a dedicated workspace, while team pods are aligned through grouping and portfolio views that provide real-time visibility across ecosystems. This level of oversight enables team leads and executive leadership to monitor workload, project status, and resource allocation with clarity and precision.
This kind of visibility simply wasn’t possible in other tools they evaluated. “Monday.com couldn’t do it without heavy customization. Smartsheet didn’t have that portfolio grouping in a way that made sense for how we’re structured. With Workzone, we didn’t have to hack the tool—it was ready to go, right out of the box.”
Smooth Implementation and Early Wins
Implementation wasn’t just smooth—it was strategic. Bader Rutter took a phased approach to onboarding, ensuring real work was loaded into the platform before training began.
“If you’re training someone on a tool that’s empty, it’s pointless,” Andrea said. “We wanted to show how Workzone could bring real value from day one. The tool is so intuitive, it made adoption easier.”
Within weeks, key users were fully onboard, and feedback from clients began reflecting improved delivery timing and fewer delays. One unexpected win? When a key team member left, they were able to instantly reassign 45 active projects using Workzone—something that would have taken days, if not weeks, under their old system.
Favorite Features That Drive Impact
Andrea highlighted several features that her team relies on daily:
- Daily push notifications: “Some team members don’t want to log into a PM tool—but they get their personalized to-do list every morning. That’s a game changer.”
- Portfolio view across ecosystems: “Leadership loves being able to see all active projects, status updates, and team workload across groups.”
- Blackout dates: “The ability to block out non-working days like the week between Christmas and New Year’s helps us plan accurately.”
- Recent UX improvements: “There was a recent update that reduced a 10-minute task to 30 seconds. That kind of continuous improvement matters.”
Andrea also praised the responsiveness of the Workzone team to feedback: “They don’t just collect feature requests—they implement them. That’s rare.”
Better Agency Project Management Starts Here
Asked how she’d sum up her experience with Workzone, Andrea didn’t hesitate:
“If you’re looking for a software partner that will support you—not just sell you a tool—Workzone is it.”
Whether you’re drowning in spreadsheets or struggling to get a clear view of your project pipeline, Workzone was built for teams like yours. With a platform designed specifically for agency project management, intuitive dashboards, and a support team that acts like an extension of your own, Workzone helps you focus on what matters: delivering great work.
Ready to see what it could do for your agency? Sign up for a complimentary demo of Workzone today.
