Athlon Media Group thrives in a demanding industry with Dropbox for Business

In the dynamic, fast-paced world of publishing, companies must move quickly to stay competitive. For Athlon Media Group — the publishing company that produces four of the most widely circulated magazines in the US — agility is core to the success of their business.

In an effort to streamline workflows, Athlon Media Group first tried setting up a server for shared file access so teams could collaborate more effectively. But the team soon discovered the file server’s limitations: if too many people tried to upload or retrieve files at the same time, the server was painfully slow. In addition, outside contractors and clients couldn’t access files hosted on the server, which often presented unnecessary roadblocks.

These limitations forced Athlon Media Group to develop workarounds to share files with external partners, resorting to FTP sites and email attachments. But these solutions presented just as many problems. The team realized that in order to stay on top of their game, they needed a file storage and sharing solution that could move as quickly as they do. “It was very cumbersome and frustrating,” Marketing Manager Anna Feagan remembered. “I told my boss I was moving to Dropbox for Business because I couldn’t take it anymore and needed a quick fix. And then Dropbox started becoming the norm for everyone.”

Now Dropbox for Business helps the company’s sales and marketing teams work faster and more efficiently — allowing them to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing industry. “We are operating from a place of very high intensity and Dropbox for Business is the kind of technology that allows us to work at top speed and evolve in the face of changes,” said Feagan.

With files stored centrally in Dropbox, employees can quickly and easily access sales and marketing materials, whether they’re in the office or on the go. This is especially helpful for the frequently traveling sales team, enabling them to access and present PowerPoints and PDFs from their tablet devices even when they’re off-site — something the file server didn’t allow. “Dropbox for Business is such a great time-saving and efficiency-boosting resource,” Feagan explained. “Thanks to the flexibility of Dropbox for Business, reps all over the country can get presentations and other files they need without worrying about going to an office or sending anything through email.”

Athlon Media Group no longer has to rely on a scattered mix of solutions and workarounds for internal and external collaboration — Dropbox for Business serves as the file-sharing tool for both in-house employees and outside contractors. And as more and more teams within Athlon Media Group realize the effectiveness of Dropbox for Business, adoption requests have spread beyond just sales and marketing to other groups throughout the company.

Using Dropbox for Business, Athlon Media Group has uncovered new ways to work faster and more efficiently — allowing the company to further secure its place as a leader in the fast-paced publishing industry.

To learn more about how the media industry uses Dropbox for Business, visit our website.