Client-Agency Partnership: Overcoming Challenges for Success
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There is an interesting dance between an agency team and their client. Both groups are full of talented people and generally they have the same goals. Yet sometimes there is a gap that holds the collective back from greatness. In a survey by Setup, this gap has grown. The dissatisfaction with the value of an Agency-Client relationship increased from 39% to 53% from 2022 to 2023.
The Challenges:
Over the years, I’ve seen the three challenges below be the primary ones that hold teams back.
The “Better” Syndrome – In this case, each team believes the other “doesn’t understand”. They look at their agency/client as lacking knowledge or insight as to what should be done. On both sides, conversations will be held without the other in the room discussing how they “don’t know what they are talking about”.
The “Lack of Clarity” Creep – This challenge emerges when the communication between the two teams isn’t clear. This can start as early as the client giving the agency an assignment. Without a client brief or clear discussion of expectations, the project can get off track before it starts. The gap can grow during project development if there aren’t frequent check-ins on progress.
The “Different Priorities” Problem – While both teams ultimately want the client’s business to succeed, they may have different visions of how to make that happen. Clients may be looking for campaigns that drive short term sales – helping the company meet this month/year’s targets. The agency might want to try an uncharted approach that gets attention, wins awards, and increases future sales.
The Solution:
While challenges can be difficult to overcome, there are some steps you can take to reduce the impact.
Communication – All of these approaches start with open communication. Both teams should be clear on their goals and processes. The more time spent together and having conversations, the deeper the trust in one another becomes. More than 70% of clients cited ‘Regular Communications’ as an important factor for continued work with their agencies according to the Agency Edge Report 2023.
Data and Insights – Information on current performance, customers, market trends, and more can start to drive insights and aligned plans. Sometimes the same data set can produce different conclusions and insights. Working as a team to discuss those insights and understand each other’s point of view is another way to ensure you are on the same page.
Process – Having a strong process for aligning on client briefs, checking in on strategy, and having frequent discussions during campaign development can have a positive impact on the outcome. This can also lead to “overengineering” the result. Finding the right balance where everyone feels their voice is heard, but leaving space for creativity and innovation is the sweet spot.
Summary
Challenges can arise in the client – agency relationship. However, when communication and trust are strong, these teams can be unstoppable. Consider your current relationships – how strong and trustworthy are they? What could you do to make the connection even deeper?
