The document discusses the value of having senior public relations professionals work on-site at a client's office. Being on-site facilitates frequent informal interactions that allow for strategic advice and recommendations. It also builds familiarity and a close working relationship more quickly. On-site work increases efficiency and quality of communications through integrated coordination and real-time decision-making. While offering benefits, clear parameters of the scope of work are important to maintain the service provider role.

1. June 11, 2010
The value of being on-site for clients
Greg McCarthy
Familiarity with the client and a close working relationship in real-time. More can often be accomplished in desk-side
are essential to build in the beginning of any client engagement. strategy sessions or hallway discussions than through the
When the engagement requires that familiarity and relationship formal -- and sometime drawn out -- back-and forth of the
be developed quickly, or there is a need for close, integrated recommendation memo/internal review/approval process that
coordination of communications and decision-making, PR often occurs between client and agency.
agencies and clients may want to consider placing senior PR Clients benefit from having an outside, more objective per-
staff on-site working at the client’s office. spective. The on-site PR team can develop a more intimate
Having worked on-site with a large client, I have become a knowledge of the client’s business operations, key personalities,
strong believer in its value for creating greater efficiency and and corporate culture, which can be used in helping the client
quality in communications and in building a strong relation- achieve their business goals. The on-site PR professional can sug-
ship with the client. gest solutions to problems not included in the original contract,
As one client, who recently had senior PR professionals providing opportunities to expand the business relationship.
working out of his office told me, “We didn’t think of them Despite the benefits of being on-site, professionals must
as outside contractors; we thought of them as part of the team maintain a clear and distinct definition of the scope of work
-- and we still do.” Such praise suggests the beginning of a that will be accomplished. While being part of the team makes
long-term business relationship. a stronger relationship, it can potentially lead to requests for
Being on-site facilitates frequent in-person, impromptu participating in work that is out of the scope of the contract
interactions with the client that provide an opportunity to – especially as the client begins to value you more. Be clear
offer strategic advice and recommendations as part of the with the client at the start about the goals of working on site
ongoing, informal decision-making process within a business. and the parameters of the work needed to achieve those goals.
These day-to-day interactions allow senior PR professionals We are a profession providing a service to our clients. It serves
to more accurately assess, understand, and anticipate client us and our reputations well when the client experiences and
viewpoints, which develop and evolve after the formal agency- evaluates that service in person.
client meetings have concluded. Greg McCarthy is SVP at Powell Tate, a division of Weber
On-site work increases the efficiency and quality of com- Shandwick. He recently spent 10 months working on-site at the
munications. Senior PR and client staff members can work U.S. Census Bureau on corporate partnerships and media relations
together as a team to reach agreement on plans and actions in support of the 2010 Census.
Powell Tate, a division of Weber Shandwick
http://www.powelltate.com
202.383.9700
Reprinted from June 11, 2010