How clients could work more productively with agencies

Marilyn Baxter goes on to encourage clients to ask themselves these questions with regard to their existing agency relationships:

1. What’s the nature of your relationship with your agencies? Do you regard them as business partners or just as suppliers? Do you feel your agencies share your culture and values?
2. Do you trust and respect their ability and their expertise?
3. Have you considered the advantages that come from developing long-term relationships with your agencies? Have you reviewed the length of your agency relationships and the number of agency changes that you have made during the last five years? Could some of these have been avoided by better management of the relationship, use of a ‘disputes procedure’ or independent mediator, etc.?
4. Have you learnt to be open about your organisation’s business objectives, financial information, performance and plans with your agencies? Do you ensure your agencies are fully briefed as and when corporate and business objectives develop or change throughout the year? Are you clear with agencies about what you expect of them?
5. Do you deal honestly and fairly with your agencies (e.g. clear terms of business, honouring agreements and contract terms, paying performance related bonuses, regular relationship evaluations, ensuring a level playing field in pitches, etc.)?