I’ve worked in some form of client services for the entirety of my 16-year career. Regardless of the job title, my purpose has always been to bridge the gap between our team and our clients. Though every relationship is unique, I have found many of the most successful ones have shared similar qualities.
Coming with the Problem, Not the Solution
As opposed to coming to Redonk with an execution top of mind, we’re at our best when faced with a business challenge or goal and armed with relevant research and industry-based knowledge provided by the client. Working with our clients on the solution gives the client the full benefits of our strategic thinking, expertise and experience and gives us valuable insight and perspective for future initiatives. Each time we engage with our clients on a deeper level, the more experience and knowledge we gain, which informs future recommendations and problem-solving.
Collaboration
We often tell our clients you are the experts in your field (not us). Our first step in a new engagement is to collect, review and digest any relevant research and insights the client already has. Our process typically includes stakeholder interviews to challenge or corroborate our collective assumptions and gain more insight into the business and its customers. Client involvement doesn’t end with Discovery though. It can drastically improve the final outcome of every phase and ensure we stay on track from a strategic, timing, and budget perspective.
Walking in Each Other’s Shoes
At Redonk, both of our partners started their professional careers on the client side working in the very field many of our clients are in today. They help provide bigger-picture perspective to our team while we work on various engagements – like when clients are navigating structural change, end of year logistics, budgets, etc.
Extending kindness and patience can go a long way in nurturing and improving working relationships. When both the client and agency share this mutual understanding and respect, it leads to a more positive and effective relationship.
Know Who Owns What
At the start of every engagement, we ask the client to clearly define the main point of contact, who the internal stakeholders are for specific projects, and what reviews and approvals will be required outside of their core team (legal, etc.).
Projects that have clear ownership on both the client and agency sides are more successful. It reduces unnecessary back and forth and allows us to spend more time focusing on strategy and execution. When the right project owners are engaged, it also gives us more valuable insight into the client’s business and goals, which improves project outcomes.
What qualities do you value in a client/agency relationship? Let us know in the comments below.
