Bard currently has a few flaws in its kit that feel very not only awkward but they hinder you greatly at times and this has nothing to do with DPS. Personally I don't mind them having less DPS then other jobs if its justified because what they bring to the table.

Bard issues:

1. Army's Peon

This song is lacking and lacking bad. This song currently feels awful to even have in the rotation outside of AOEing mobs. But in boss encounters this song feels like it doesnt have anything noteworthy really triggering as well as to the bard player your hitting (BURST SHOT and praying for a REFULGENT proc) basically you have to few skills going off and it feels like your back to the beginning of the game when you have 2 skills on long global cooldowns sadge....

How they could fix this is making this song proc something at a decent rate like the other 2

or you give it musical flare aka a fully music song where you are spinning around similar to troubadors animations and you also proc something that would have a musical effect. Take this song and give Bard more of a Bard Identity and pull it away from being a archer 90% of the time

2. MP is not even used for anything..

3. Natures minne and Wardens peon

These 2 skills are very neish. Most of the time I find these best to use on myself rather then the party because of how they are used. Basically both of these are currently a I messed up heres something to help keep me alive. Very rarely do I use either on a party member.

Now theres things that can fix this such as making mobs/bosses giving you more reasons to use them on the tank just as an example. However I feel the best way to fix these skills is to have them be an AOE with a similar animation to troubador. I love troubador its so under used but its sometimes so clutch when your party just needs a bit of defense to survive a wipe and the animation of you spinning around playing music is exactly what bard needs more of.
Bard does less damage so an AOE cleanse and a AOE increased healing buff for a brief time to help in bad situations I do not believe would be to strong as long as the values are correct and tuned right.

4. Battle Voice does not buff Bard ( No other job has this issue their buffs apply to them as well this should already be a thing for bard.)

5. AOE dots are currently not a thing

Ive gotten extremely used to hitting tab to swap to each mob and apply dots in dungeons but no other job has to do this.

Either make Shadow Bite take your dots and spread them to all enemies with a shorter cooldown
or
Take Iron jaws and if applied on a mob with dots create a music tornado that spreads the dots.

I think Bard should move from being just a DPS archer to being more of the mix of music and bow its meant to be. It also maintains its current playstyle for those that do like it while adding things and fixing the core issues its currently facing and giving it some more of a support role its currently lacking.