Move from 3 disconnected tools to centralized management.
This is the strategic shift that Disobey, a 15-strong communications agency based in Nantes, France, has made. A transformation led by Wendy Joulin, the agency’s “mom” – as she is known internally.
The goal? Rediscover clarity, efficiency… and above all, stop chasing the news all day long.
The challenge: juggling too many tools, too often
Before Furious, daily life at Disobey was like a digital treasure hunt.
- An aging ERP for project tracking and timekeeping (locally installed, with no updates).
- HR leave software.
- Trello support for team coordination.
Add to this an “old-fashioned” approach to expense management (sending receipts by e-mail and filing by hand), and you have a breeding ground for errors, oversights and… frustration.
Wendy sums it up well:
“I was constantly trying to get the teams going again. No one wanted to use the tool, so it felt like we were going backwards instead of forwards.”
Le déclic: an all-in-one tool designed specifically for agencies
The switchover began with word-of-mouth. While chatting with a colleague, Wendy hears about Furious. The tool circulates in conversations, feedback is positive, curiosity is piqued.
One demo later, Wendy is convinced: the tool is modern, fluid, mobile-accessible, and above all… it centralizes everything.
“We saw right away that we were going to be able to group everything together: project management, invoicing, purchasing, vacations, time tracking… It was exactly what we were looking for. It was exactly what we were looking for.”
No need for an external integrator: Wendy managed the deployment herself. Within three months, everything was set up and the first employees onboarded.
The 3 mistakes they avoided (and that you'd do well to avoid too)
- Underestimating change management
Wendy brought a project manager on board for the test phase to make sure that the field would follow. Good call. - Migrate everything at once
Disobey chose a gradual approach, with a period of “cohabitation” between Trello and Furious. The result: zero panic, seamless adoption. - Ignoring the real-life uses of the
teamsBy integrating real-life use cases right from the configuration stage, Wendy was able to anticipate bottlenecks. Her secret? She knows her teams… and her tool.
Key stages in deployment
- October October: Wendy takes over Furious, configuring projects, contacts and rights.
- November November: she boards an employee to validate use in the field.
- January The whole agency officially switches over. No need for other tools.
All without breaking a cold sweat or spilling a cup of coffee. And no spilled coffee (well, not that we know of).
What Furious has changed in everyday life
The centralization of information has freed up time… and mental bandwidth. The result: more fluidity, less micromanagement, more autonomy.
Before Wendy was the nerve center. Any question (payment, vacation, invoice) went through her.
Nowadays Today: everyone has access to the information they need, when they need it.
The centralization of information has freed up time… and mental bandwidth. The result: more fluidity, less micromanagement, more autonomy.
3 best practices from Disobey
Wendy didn’t simply “implement a tool”. She piloted a real process optimization approach, using method and common sense. Here’s what every agency would benefit from replicating:
- Entrusting management to a dedicated person Wendy was the driving force from start to finish.
- Two-way testing (admin + operational) for a 360° view of needs.
- Putting an end to dispersion A single tool, a single entry point, a single version of the truth.
What Furious allows them to do today
From the very first weeks, the effects of centralization were felt at Disobey. You don’t have to wait months to notice a change in the fluidity of daily life.
Less time wasted juggling tools
In the past, a simple project validation might have required the opening of three applications: one to track time, another to check vacations, and a third to find the right invoicing file. And sometimes… a little detour to Wendy’s mailbox.
From now on, everything is in Furious. Project managers, account managers, creative department, accounting: everyone works in the same environment, with a single interface and real-time data updates.
Fewer e-mails, more transparency
With Disobey, each project contains all the relevant information: to-dos, comments, internal notes, shared documents, approval history, invoicing status… No more cascading reminders to find out whether a payment has been made or a quotation signed.
Everyone has access to what they need, without having to ask.
Less dependence, more autonomy
Wendy used to be the control tower. Every validation, follow-up and confirmation went through her. Today, employees can navigate the tool, access the information they need, and follow the progress of their projects in real time.
Of course, she keeps an eye on what’s going on, but she’s no longer the bottleneck.
And this change is also psychological: teams feel more responsible, more involved, because they are better equipped to act without intermediaries.
Less paperwork, more responsiveness in the field
A good tool is also a tool that is designed for real-life use. And in a branch where teams are regularly out and about, the mobile application makes all the difference.
Expense claims, receipts, quick consultations: everything can be done over the phone.
No need to store receipts at the bottom of a bag, hoping to remember them at the end of the month.
Less vagueness, more collective clarity
One of the most profound benefits is the information upgrade.
Each team member now shares the same reference base: a common project, status and history. In the event of turnover or absence, continuity is assured.
Furious becomes the agency’s shared frame of reference. A foundation we can build on – without relying on each other’s memories.
And how much more time do you have to waste picking up the pieces?
Disobey didn’t just adopt a tool: they simplified the way they work.
Furious has enabled them to reunify their processes, smooth their flows and get their teams more involved.
What if you made the same choice?
