How many traffic people?

[Randy Lahey]

This topic definately doesn't belong in this section, but I can't find a better place so I'm posting it here.

What I'm wondering is how long does it take to schedule a typical day? We are a pretty small company. We have 4 stations in our cluster and 2.5 traffic people. I've heard of 1 person scheduling 16 stations in another cluster but that could just be a rumor (lie). Is 2.5 people for 4 stations exessive?

I don't really fully understand what goes into it as I'm on the other side of the building, but it seems like a bit much.

Randy.

 

[SirRoxalot]

What software are you using? Do you just want spots logged, or do you want separation of sponsor types, in-house voices, etc.? How many minutes an hour do you have? How many stopsets?

These are only a few of the variables that impact how long the job takes. My suggestion is that you should walk over to the other side of the building and spend a little time learning what those 2.5 people actually do. Their role can make a huge difference to both listeners and sponsors.

 

[radioboy]

Randy,

I've done that particular job for a station that didn't even own a computer, much less software.
It took quite a bit of time to schedule spots directly to the log from the insertion orders, separate
them so that similar businesses didn't run in the same stopset and such. Then, print off the log on a copier and type every spot, PSA, promo etc onto the log. It took hours and that was for one daytime station.

I don't believe 2.5 people is excessive. It's kind of brain-numbing in my opinion.

Maybe it's way easier with software but I'd give them every benefit of the doubt you may have.
It doesn't take very many missed or mssplaced spots to cause a disaster.

 

[davideduardo]

What I'm wondering is how long does it take to schedule a typical day? We are a pretty small company. We have 4 stations in our cluster and 2.5 traffic people. I've heard of 1 person scheduling 16 stations in another cluster but that could just be a rumor (lie). Is 2.5 people for 4 stations exessive?

The number of people depends on several things.

1. Is the station often close to sold out or oversold? The manipulation of schedules by hand is much greater for a tight inventory situation.
2. I assume the stations use some type of computerized traffic probram, like Marketron, CBSI, etc. But contracts have to be put in by hand, and bumps handled manually and reconciliations done each day to catch missed spots.
3. How often are there make goods for things like wrong copy, besides missed spots? All that is done manually.
4. Does traffic also do the end of month reconciation and do billing? That is a big job.
5. Does traffic do continuity? Writing out production orders, handling copy and copy changes, etc., for 4 stations is nearly a fulltime job on its own.
6. Is there a lot of last minute business... if there is, many spots may be written on the log, and then have to be put in manually the next workday.
7. Are you considering weekends, when 12 logs have to be done on Friday? Or holidays when 16 to 20 logs may have to be done.
8. Do the sellers mess with the traffic people? That takes time, creates conflicts, etc.

Answer these, and you will get an idea of the amount of work. 2.5 people for traffic without continuity seems barely right.

 

[TomT]

We do two stations with one person, who also prepares presentations for sales, does general bookkeeping and other clerical functions. While we are small market, that actually means more work as we have many small orders to enter into the system and bill.

You can get traffic and billing software for a little over $1200 for a multiple station package; other programs are more, but do more. The software, once set-up, should do most of the work. For a four station cluster, one person could handle most of the work except at billing, and, indeed, it would best for one person to be in charge of traffic to avoid confusion.

I've found from experience that the sales folk are hunter-gatherers. That is, give them the tools (nice presentations, good packages) turn them lose, then have someone else clean up what they bring in (enter the orders, write copy, schedule production). For a four station cluster, my inclination would be to have one traffic person, and a second person to be reception/sales clerical who takes care of the needs of the sales staff before sale, then can help the traffic person at billing time (if nothing more--just double checking invoices, stuffing envelopes and running them through the postage machine). Would be wise to cross-train that second person on the billing system to be able to cover for vacations, illness, etc.