by Emma King (@EmmainSA) As agencies, and as suppliers, there’s often an unwritten understanding of “the client is always right”. And fair enough — they are paying our salaries, calling the shots and essentially deciding whether we can all go on holiday this year or have a Christmas party. So there’s a temptation to say “How high?” when they say jump, and “Sweeteners or brown sugar?” when they express a yearning for a coffee.
However, I firmly believe that, as agencies, we should not be simpering sycophants and, as with most relationships, a client/agency relationship works well when the respect is reciprocated and there’s a mutual ability for both sides to speak frankly and openly to one another.
So, when is it right for an agency to push back to a client — whether that be concerning workload, how it is implemented or how the relationship is unfolding?
- When they can’t see the wood for the trees
One of the greatest values that an external partner can bring to a client is exactly that — the fact that they are external. Sometimes, being in the middle of a project or development means that a client cannot see any other ways of doing things than the way it is doing them at that moment.
A fresh perspective, an alternate approach or simply an idea from the left field can turn something average into something ground-breaking.
- When you have a better way of doing things
This is a tough one — because everyone thinks that their ideas and processes are the best. But real value can be added when an agency can introduce new ways of working or fresh ideas that speed up processes or get better results.
Of course, it’s difficult when working with huge corporates that have complex systems in place that cannot be changed, but you would be hard-pressed to find a client who doesn’t appreciate small ways of making things work better, faster and cheaper.
- When they have been drinking too much of the corporate Kool-Aid
I am sure we have all been in the situation where we have been chatting to in-house teams about their products or their business, and we wonder what planet they are actually operating on. Do they really believe that their new kettle-fried crisps will lead to self-belief and world peace, or that the appointment of their new HR manager should be a lead story on Sky News?
To be fair, they have probably spent the past six months, 24/7, working on it, wading through reams of research convincing them that the world is on tenterhooks eagerly awaiting their new product or piece of news.
And this is where we really can add value. Not by shooting them down and telling them that they are kak but rather by helping them tweak their messaging and approach into something that is relevant, realistic and workable in the real world.
- When your staff and culture are being affected
This is a tough one to manage, but one which I feel very strongly about. As temping as it is to go after the big bucks, there has to be a moment when other things are more important.
More money can always be found. But when you are losing good people because clients are bullying them or forcing them to work in an unreasonable way, or when your very values or ways in which you do business are being compromised, it’s important to stop it in its tracks, or call it quits and walk away, keeping the foundations on which you are built intact.
Go with the flow
And when, then, should you keep just go with the flow?
I’m a great believer in learning when to fight your battles. No one wants to work with someone who is constantly challenging them or being disruptive, purely for the sake of it. Keep the fight in you for when it’s needed and learn when to back down and keep quiet.
Seriously, the world won’t end if they go with that big-ass logo or use red instead of green.
Emma King (@EmmainSA) is the owner and MD of The Friday Street Club (@TheFridayStClub). Previously, she was head of PR at The Jupiter Drawing Room (Cape Town). She contributes the monthly “The Dissindent Spin Doctor” column on PR and communication issues to MarkLives.com.
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