I run Agency Reviews for a living, but I just told a Client to wait on looking for a new Agency. For now.
At Flock Associates we have managed many of the largest and most complicated reviews in the US over the past several years: Ford, McDonald’s, J&J, and others have all gone through our agency review process in order to adjust their existing agency relationships.
This may surprise you, but more often than not we advise clients to NOT put their current agency in review. Yet. Let me explain.
Not surprisingly, our data (compiled through our Flock Agency Appraisal Tool and Agency Review Process) and review details, highlights that in most cases the issues between an agency and a marketer are basically equal in responsibility.
This may surprise you: most of our clients accept this recognition and realize that in order to be successful moving forward, whether with a new agency or the incumbent, they must get their own house in order.
We call this a “Get Fit” program, and it often entails a Capabilities Assessment, and then discussion and workshops that help the client organization recognize where the challenges and opportunities for improvement sit, and how to address them.
It also may contain a review and optimization of the clients Marketing Organization. Frequently our organization design service will leverage the findings from our Capability Assessment Service, with insights about the skills and abilities of the team informing decisions about how the team is structured for future success. The results from this type of engagement are also leveraged by our other capability services, as we support clients during the implementation of our recommendations.
All of this information is valuable not only in order to address changes needed, but it is also utilized as the baseline information to inform how a “new” agency relationship or agency eco-system should be structured, based on the “Future Fit” (we look out 3-5 years to determine the needs going forward). This ensures that the incumbent can either adjust, or that the potentially new agencies are a good fit.
So, to summarize:
- Unless you are 100% sure take the time to discuss and review the existing issues with your current agency relationship. A non-biased consultant such as Flock Associates can help.
- Look inside your organization first: are you structured and functioning in a manner that will allow your agency partner to be successful. Capabilities. Organizational structure. Ways of Working.
- If you ultimately decide that there is a need for a change, ensure that the criteria being used to choose a new agency reflects a relationship that is “Fit For The Future”.
If you would like to know more of how Flock can help you with your Agency Reviews or if you have any other questions please do not hesitate to get in contact.