Podcast Summary: Guide To Working With Digital Agencies

Podcast: The Digital Marketing Podcast
Hosts: Daniel Rowles & Ciaran Rogers
Episode Date: July 30, 2017

Overview

This episode dives into the practical realities of working with digital agencies, offering advice from both agency and client perspectives. Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers, drawing on their experience as both agency professionals and clients, discuss how to build productive, long-term relationships, common pitfalls to avoid, and actionable tips for getting the most from agency partnerships. The conversation is rich with anecdotes, stern warnings, and sound advice for organizations of any size considering or currently working with digital agencies.

Choosing and Managing Agencies

One Agency or Many? (01:00–03:30)

• No "One-Size-Fits-All":
  Daniel notes that while using a single agency is ideal, few truly excel in every area. "It's unusual to find an agency that is an expert in everything... master of everything? No, not really. That doesn't really occur." (01:51, Daniel)
• Multi-Agency Challenges:
  Managing several agencies can lead to communication and coordination hurdles. Lead agencies can help, but politics often arise as each vies for more responsibility and budget.
• Inherited Agency Landscapes:
  Ciaran relates the difficulty of inheriting multiple agency relationships—akin to managing disparate internal teams—and the need for better communication and possibly bringing more work in-house.

The Pitfall of Changing Agencies with Leadership Swaps (04:25–06:00)

• Avoid Knee-Jerk Changes:
  Daniel expresses frustration over new marketing leadership changing agencies unnecessarily:
  “New marketing director comes in... and they change the agencies every time... That can be really damaging.” (04:25, Daniel)
• A Smarter Approach:
  Ciaran shares an example where a new director made existing agencies re-pitch, which refreshed relationships, clarified contracts, and reignited agencies’ keenness.

Agency-Client Dynamics & Fairness

Service Levels and Prioritization (06:35–07:39)

• Squeaky Wheel Syndrome:
  Daniel warns, "The client that shouts the most gets the most attention," but this eventually breeds resentment and is unsustainable for the agency. (06:35, Daniel)

Big Agency vs. Small Agency (07:39–10:54)

• Don’t Be a Small Fish:
  Daniel advises, "You never want to be a small fish in a big pond... generally be a big client for a small or medium agency." (07:43, Daniel)
• Larger agencies offer breadth but may deprioritize small clients; smaller agencies tend to value each client more and provide hands-on service.
• Project Management:
  Daniel stresses vetting the agency’s project management: "If they're poor at project management, everything will be late and it will damage the relationship." (09:00, Daniel)
• Pitch Team vs. Delivery Team:
  Be wary of differences between the enthusiastic pitch team and the actual delivery team. "You need to know who's actually going to be working on your account." (10:54, Daniel)

Vetting and Onboarding Agencies

Reference and Due Diligence (10:54–12:10)

• Ciaran recommends always following up with agency-provided references and ensuring their praised work aligns with your anticipated projects.
• Agency “Gotchas”:
  • Clarify what’s included in monthly management fees to prevent later disputes or hidden charges.
  • Look out for handover fees—especially in PPC projects—when transitioning accounts.

Contract Landmines: Handover Fees & Notice Terms (12:10–13:38)

• "Handover Fees" Trap:
  Daniel describes agencies that "hold your data hostage" at the end of contracts, charging steep handover fees: "I've seen handover fees from £500 to £20,000." (12:58, Daniel)
• Own Your Accounts:
  Always insist on account ownership and clear data rights in contracts.
• Notice Terms:
  Clarify whether notice is one month, 30 days, or "to the end of the next month" to avoid being caught off-guard by hidden extensions.

Rules for a Successful Agency Relationship

Ciaran’s Agency Commandments (13:38–18:31)

• 1. Set Meeting Agendas and Stick to Them:
  Controls scope and keeps meetings productive.
• 2. No Surprises on Costs:
  Insist all extra costs be flagged ahead of time and structured via proposals and purchase orders.
• 3. Define the Scope Upfront:
  Both sides must understand and agree on deliverables.
  "There's a phrase you need to learn in agency speak and they say that's out of scope." (15:58, Ciaran)
• 4. Meticulously Record Meeting Notes & Actions:
  Keeps everyone aligned; if the agency doesn't, the client should.
• 5. Share Collaboration Platforms:
  Daniel: "Having a mutually shared platform like Asana... works really well because then there's clarity." (17:09, Daniel)
• 6. Clarify Lines of Communication and Emergency Contacts:
  Agree on who to contact, and when—including out-of-hours contacts for emergencies.
• 7. Define Response Times:
  Small agencies may be more flexible for urgent fixes; clarify expectations contractually.

Building a Mutually Respectful Partnership

• Transparency and Feedback:
  Don’t shy away from being clear when dissatisfied—honest feedback avoids sudden, unexplained rifts.
• Listen to Your Agency:
  Trust their expertise, especially after thorough vetting.
  "A good relationship’s built on honesty, and honesty should cut both ways." (18:31, Ciaran)
• Keep Agencies in the Loop:
  Inform them about major business or team changes promptly—this is especially important if they manage critical digital assets.
• Treat Agencies Like Team Members:
  Show respect, recognition, and gratitude.
  "Work really hard on becoming their favorite brand or customer... You don’t have to shower them with gifts, but just a simple thank you when a job’s well done." (21:30, Ciaran)

Standout Quote

"There is an art to being a great agency—and art to being a great client as well." (23:27, Daniel)

Key Memorable Moments & Quotes

• The Dangers of Being a Low Priority Client:
  “What you don’t want is everyone else is spending £20,000 a month and you’re spending £1,000 a month. You’re just not going to be prioritized.” (07:55, Daniel)
• On Agency ‘Full Service’ Claims:
  “Every agency says we are a full-service digital marketing agency. And actually, the reality is they’re not.” (02:19, Ciaran)
• Scope Creep:
  "Scope creep is a big problem in development projects." (16:19, Daniel)
• Relationship Best Practice:
  "Afford them the same respect. So often agency relationships can sour because people just treat an agency like a sort of a paid servant." (21:30, Ciaran)

Actionable Takeaways

• Set expectations, documentation, and communication procedures from the outset.
• Scrutinize contracts for hidden clauses, fees, and clarity around account/data ownership.
• Treat agencies as partners—not vendors. Foster loyalty and advocacy by being fair, respectful, and appreciative.
• Remember, both agencies and clients need to up their game for the relationship to thrive.

For listeners or readers seeking to avoid agency-client dramas, this episode offers a grounded, experience-driven playbook for forging strong agency relationships and maximizing value for everyone involved.