MaLogic has recently conducted 50 interviews with senior clients of leading corporations from five industries (retail, banking, luxury, cosmetics & skincare, automobile) and distilled 10 points of what clients expect from their agency partners in this increasingly challenging business environment.
1.Capable and willing
Needless to say, clients would prefer to team up with an agency that is capable and can come up with exciting and compelling promotional ideas. Yet, just like what companies are looking for when hiring talents – “capabilities” is not the only point on the score sheet. Having the right attitude and genuine commitment is equally, if not more important, as a selection criterion.
2.Interested in client’s budget and business
It is understandable that the agency also has to achieve a reasonable ROI in terms of their time spent. Therefore, it is only fair that the agency should be appropriately rewarded for its contribution. Interestingly, the clients would be more open about remuneration if their agency partners could display sufficient and genuine interest in their businesses, not just how much they are willing to spend.
3.Reliable and available
The number one attribute to be qualified as a good agency partner is “reliability”. Being reliable is about getting things done well and on time. However, being “reliable” is different from being “available”. Arguably, being available is the first step of being reliable. This is particularly true when the client is facing a crisis or anything unexpected. What is the point of having an agency if it is not there when you need them most?
4.Understand the market and the product
Agency by default is a generalist, not a specialist. Therefore, it tends to work on a variety of projects of different nature rather than just focusing on one single industry (except a few). While the client, on the other hand, is an expert in their field. Clients expect their agencies to sufficiently comprehend the market dynamics so that a meaningful business conversation can be conducted. What’s next will be an in-depth understanding and appreciation of the clients’ products and services to offer advice that makes good business sense.
5.Love and use the client’s product
If the agency is committed to being a true partner of the client, then not only should it develop an interest in the client’s product but actually use it. There is nothing more embarrassing than walking into a client’s meeting wearing a competitor’s product.
6.Responsive and proactive
Understanding the client’s needs (the brief) and delivering a timely and viable solution is almost expected. Being able to do this is becoming a prerequisite. To exceed a client’s expectation, the agency should propose ideas or share a market observation out of its initiative.
7.It’s about business and more
Being professional doesn’t mean an agency cannot and should not build a friendly personal relationship with the client that leads to a higher level of trust. Suppose every encounter is just about business and fee negotiation. In that case, there will never be a good rapport between the agency and the client, as a partnership can only be established on a relationship, not a transaction. It is as simple as that.
8.Focus on the work that works
There is only one way to judge a piece of work (be it a research study, a tactical promotion, or an image-building campaign) – that is, to what extent it can accomplish the business objective. This is how the client’s performance will be measured and, therefore, how the agency will also be evaluated.
9.Great at ideas and great at details
Agency is made up of its people. Some people are good at generating big ideas, while others are good at managing details. They both are critical to the success of any campaign, and therefore they both are required by the client. More than often, agencies are paying more attention and energy to come up with the big idea but without realizing the negative impact of the lack of attention to details. However, the target audience can only see and feel the execution, not the strategy.
10.Think of solution, not execution
“Creativity” in the business context is about finding the right solution rather than the execution. Unfortunately, the client and the agency usually spend most of the time debating on the execution details instead of the solution. If both the client and the agency can focus on searching for the best solution, they will naturally be aligned as they share the same mission and accountability.
The brand owner and agency are on the same boat with a shared mission – building a strong and irresistible brand. Therefore, there is no reason not to foster a true partnership. Like any relationship, the key is to objectively look at the subject matter from the other party’s perspective. This will help to preempt many unnecessary distractions that will cause more harm than good to the brand.