How to build the structure of an IT company?

Question

Work organization

We are a development team that has grown from two people into a small company.
Now the work is structured like this:
One person is looking for orders, accepting improvements from current clients (let's call him an account manager), the second monitors the work (project manager), and 4 programmers are working.
Most communication takes place via Skype. Tasks are carried out in Redmine, but some clients do not want to work in it, but only Skype or mail.
So here are the problems we are facing.
1. Load distribution
Most clients continue to have a dialogue on tasks with the account manager and do not really adjust to the manager's project. As a result, there is no time left to search for new customers.
2. Task management
Clients in every possible way do not want to work through Redmine, but try to "set" tasks in skype and email. Because of this, some of them are lost in a large volume of correspondence. With a forced transition to Redmine, there is a risk of losing some of them. 3. The problem of
scaling
there is more correspondence, the load on the manager's account grows significantly. Everything is complicated by the fact that in addition to developing web projects, we started our own development of modules, which requires additional technical support.
How to improve customer service?
How to properly distribute the workload among managers?
How to create a structure that is easily scalable?
How not to inflate the price tag due to the increase in the number of managers?
Write your options for building a successful team and advise us to build a competent structure.

Answer 1

1. A flaw in the account manager, he should not be afraid to switch clients to the project manager. There are many ways to soft translate.
2. Enter the ticketing system (eg via a dedicated email), eg. the client had a task, he discussed it with the manager (if required), the manager helped to formulate the task and asked the client to send a ticket to a dedicated email, if he cannot send the client, then he starts a ticket himself (which, by the way, is not very good, but sometimes it is acceptable ), the client, in turn, receives the ticket number, by which it can track its execution. A bunch of methodologies describe a similar approach.
You wrote that you are using Redmine, but this is difficult for the client. He needs minimally simple communication, and Redmine is your inner kitchen. Here are already lured clients, you can draw them into Redmine, etc., after "selling" it to the client.
3. It all depends on how your internal processes are arranged, in general, you need to determine the main priorities for the team. n.p.
a. Support for existing clients.
b. Looking for new clients.
in. Development of new products.
Prioritize employees. Build processes to be followed.
And of course read about ITIL :)
Yes, there is also an interesting book, by the way, it is mostly motivating, but I found a couple of interesting points for myself, called "Rework: Business Without Prejudice" by Jason Fried, David Heinmeyer Hansson

Answer 2

First - define as clearly as possible the scope of responsibility of salespeople and projects. The salesperson is looking for a new client for you: Direct, Avito, cold calling, etc. Finds - signs the contract, issues an invoice, maybe takes money (if cash), closes the act.
The task from the client "And I need another red button here" is a question for the project. Let sales directly tell the client that everything that comes after the initial TOR is discussed with the project. He will only help on paper, if necessary (additional agreement, invoice, act).
I also noticed an interesting feature, wherever there is no rule "What is not in CRM is not in principle", usually anarchy reigns. Enter it at home and severely punish everyone who does not write there.
For the rest - implement KPIs, evaluate the effectiveness of your people. Maybe some of them are doing garbage, maybe they have some hidden problems, maybe they are doing something inefficiently.
What you have now (grew from 2 pros into a whole company) is called the crisis of a young leader. It passes in 6-12 months, a lot of nerves, wasted time and money. You fill bumps, gain managerial experience. Maybe your company will fall apart, but at least the knowledge of how to do it is not necessary, you will learn from it.

Answer 3

> Clients in every possible way do not want to work through Redmine, but try to "set" tasks in skype and email.
redmine seems to be able to start tasks to receive e-mail to a specific address. Then it is enough to unsubscribe to the task, and the corresponding address will be sent to the address. notifications. Through Skype, formulate a task and send it to the same redmine. In general, the task can be carried out in the ticket box, and artifacts will automatically arrive to the client from there. Well, as all serious companies do: "At your request, an application #NNNNN has been opened. You will be notified when something changes."

Answer 4

What prevents the manager from filling out a ticket according to the client's words? Make only a note on which channel and at what time the application came.

Answer 5

Redmine, at least, can accept incoming email, all subsequent incoming ones on the same issue can be put in subtasks to the original one. I did not understand outgoing mail :)

Answer 6

1) and 3) Solved by hiring people for technical support. This does not increase the price tag for development. Support must be sold separately.
2) Offer 2 support options: a) Interaction via e-mail-Redmine ticket system (as suggested above) b) "Personal" manager and call/correspond through him. Price (a) - lower, (b) - more expensive. And no one needs to be persuaded. In the first case, everything is automated, and in the second, you have money to pay supporters.