How Disobey Streamlined Its Operations in 3 Months Without a Hitch
Auteur vérifié
27 May 2025
Moving from three disconnected tools to centralized management.
This is the strategic shift undertaken by Disobey, a Nantes-based communications agency with about fifteen employees. A transformation spearheaded by Wendy Joulin, the agency’s “mom”—that’s what they call her internally.
What is his goal? Regain clarity and efficiency… and, above all, stop chasing the news all day long.
The challenge: juggling too many tools, too often
Before Furious, everyday life at Disobey was like a digital scavenger hunt.
- An outdated ERP system for project tracking and time tracking (on-premises, with no updates).
- HR software for leave management.
- Trello is used to coordinate teams.
Add to that an “old-school” approach to expense reporting (i.e., sending receipts by email and filing them manually), and you have a recipe for errors, oversights, and… frustration.
Wendy sums it up well:
I was constantly having to follow up with the teams. No one wanted to use the tool; it felt like we were moving backward instead of forward.
Wendy Joulin – Administrative Manager at Disobey
The Game-Changer: An all-in-one tool, truly designed for agencies
The shift began thanks to word of mouth. While chatting with a colleague, Wendy hears about Furious. The tool is the talk of the town, the feedback is positive, and her curiosity is piqued.
After seeing a demo, Wendy was convinced: the tool is modern, user-friendly, mobile-friendly, and best of all… it lets you centralize everything.
We could tell right away that we’d be able to bring everything together: project management, billing, purchasing, time off, time tracking… It was exactly what we were looking for.
Wendy Joulin – Administrative Manager at Disobey
No external integrator was needed: Wendy managed the deployment herself. Within three months, everything was set up and the first employees were onboarded.
The 3 mistakes they avoided (and that you’d be wise to avoid as well)
- Underestimating the importance of change management: Wendy brought a project manager on board during the testing phase to ensure that the field team would follow through. Good call.
- Migrating everything at once: Disobey opted for a phased approach, with a period of “coexistence” between Trello and Furious. The result: no panic, a smooth transition.
- Ignoring how teams actually use the system: By incorporating real-world use cases right from the setup phase, Wendy was able to anticipate potential roadblocks. Her secret? She knows her teams…and her tool.
Key stages of deployment
- October: Wendy takes over Furious, setting up projects, contacts, and permissions.
- November: She brings on a colleague to validate the solution in the field.
- January: The entire agency officially makes the switch. No other tools are needed.
All without any cold sweats. Or spilled coffee. (Well, not that we know of.)
What Furious has changed in everyday life
Centralizing information has freed up time… and mental bandwidth. The result: greater efficiency, less micromanagement, and more autonomy.
Before: Wendy was the go-to person. Every question (about payments, time off, or invoices) went through her.
Today: Everyone has access to the information they need, when they need it.
It saves a ton of time. When team members open the project, they can see the entire history. Even the sticky notes are included.
Wendy Joulin – Administrative Manager at Disobey
Centralizing information has freed up time… and mental bandwidth. The result: greater efficiency, less micromanagement, and more autonomy.
3 Best Practices to Take Away from Disobey
Wendy didn’t just “set up a tool.” She spearheaded a genuine process optimization initiative, using a systematic approach and common sense. Here’s what every agency would benefit from emulating:
- Assign leadership to a key contact: Wendy was the driving force from start to finish.
- Testing from two perspectives (admin + operations): for a 360° view of requirements.
- Ending fragmentation: one tool, one entry point, one version of the truth.
What Furious offers them today
From the very first weeks, the effects of centralization were felt at Disobey. There was no need to wait months to see a change in the smooth running of day-to-day operations.
Less time wasted switching between tools
In the past, simply approving a project might have required opening three different applications: one to track time, another to check vacation days, and a third to find the right billing file. And sometimes… a quick detour to Wendy’s email inbox.
I no longer have to open three different programs just to get the same information. Everything is right here, in the right place.
Wendy Joulin – Administrative Manager at Disobey
Now, everything is in Furious. Project managers, account managers, the creative team, and accounting—everyone works in the same environment, using a single interface with data updated in real time.
Fewer emails, more transparency
At Disobey, every project brings together all the relevant information: tasks to be completed, comments, internal notes, shared documents, approval history, billing status, and more. No more endless follow-ups to find out if a payment has gone through or if a quote has been signed.
Everyone has access to what they need, without having to ask
It saves a ton of time. When team members open the project, they can see the entire history. Even the sticky notes are included.
Wendy Joulin – Administrative Manager at Disobey
Less dependence, more independence
Before, Wendy was the control tower. Every approval, every follow-up, and every confirmation went through her. Now, employees can navigate the tool, access the information they need, and track 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 psychological as well: teams feel more accountable and more engaged because they are better equipped to act without intermediaries.
Less paperwork, more responsiveness in the field
A good tool is also one that’s designed for real-world use. And in an agency where teams are regularly in meetings or on the go, the mobile app makes all the difference.
Expense reports, receipts, quick lookups: you can do it all from your phone.
No more shuffling receipts around in the bottom of your bag, hoping you’ll remember them at the end of the month.
Less ambiguity, greater collective clarity
One of the most significant benefits is the standardization of information.
Every team member now shares the same baseline: a common project, status, and history. Even in the event of staff turnover or absences, continuity is ensured.
Furious is becoming the agency’s shared repository. A foundation we can rely on—without having to depend on everyone’s memory.
And you—how much time do you still waste trying to pick up the pieces?
Disobey didn’t just adopt a tool—they streamlined their way of working.
Furious helped them unify their processes, streamline their workflows, and boost team engagement.
What if you made the same choice as they did?