creative agencies and client work together. not always successful. lessons learned and ideas on what each side can do better.

1. Six stages of client/agency
development — secrets
to successful relations
Insights from Joachim Bentz, Managing Partner ISD Group

4. With whom:
● Starts with client and self-reflection: Real needs vs. Your wants. You need a match in:
task, result & relationship orientation
● Low-risk, conservative, not ambitious clients do not need top creative agencies. If you
pair them there will be blood on the table
● No shortcuts. Use a proven tender process to select the agency. And for agencies, do
not participate if your chances to win are below 50%

5. What is the task:
● Write the brief, discuss & improve it with the help of the agency. Sign it with top
management to be fully aligned and to avoid ‘surprises’
● Transfer all relevant knowledge (Brand, Strategy, Consumer, Competition)
● Do real workshops instead of 8 hours presentation and self-studying. Nobody is
gonna remember this long presentations. Brand experience matters.

6. Let’s go:
● Define clear roles & responsibilities — have clear defined & discussed deliverables. It’s
about what you do & what you do not do
● Do not allow the agency to get into their ‘cave’ and come back with final proposal after
4 weeks. Talk, communicate, discuss & challenge in the meantime
● Stretch can be uncomfortable. Working with TOP agency can be painful. They have
unusual ideas/strange proposals/things you did not do before. Be brave!

7. Wait, let’s align again:
● Feedback. Constructive feedback includes what has been done well, what needs to
be improved and that is demonstrated on examples, facts & consumer insights
● Communication. Communication. Communication. Find the best way which works for
both, agency & client. It’s business of people — what works for one might not work for
the other (check out: color personality type)
● Build trust. Do what you promised to do. In time with high(est) quality

8. How can we get better:
● Be interested in client’s business results, did your campaign achieve the targets? Why
yes/why not? Measure sales but also an image
● Do official evaluations with clients, at least once a year, better twice. Have them
signed. Look at what is good, what can be improved and set targets for the coming
period. Evaluation is two-sided, so talk about client’s ‘performance’ as well
● The agency has to assign client ambassadors on all levels, including General
Manager. Assure that you have regular meetings and track the outcome. Anything to
improve?

9. Are we still relevant:
● The agency has been hired for a certain ‘task’. Is that still given? Do we have to
upgrade and chose a different agency?
● Define which strategic communication tasks are ahead and discuss what kind of
agency you need for that. All-round-communication vs. specific digital?
● Prepare for tender, do not rush, quality process is important. If necessary get external
help to assure unbiased decision

10. Client’s belief:
1. ‘We need the best agency on the market!’
2. ‘Two weeks for tender are enough!’
3. Best agencies work for free (tender stage)
4. ‘They do not get it, let’s change the agency!’
5. Changing agency is for free, “we do tender
for every single project”
Agency view:
1. Differentiate between Want & Need,
are you ready to work with such agency?
2. The agency is NOT waiting for you, we have
ongoing business
3. If you want to attract the best agencies —
pay a tender fee
4. Did you explain it good enough?
5. Think about time invested and that you need
to start from scratch. Often it’s better to
develop an agency, than to switch

11. Agency’s belief:
1. ‘Sorry for the mistakes in the presentation’
2. ‘Our work is in the centre of the world’
3. ‘It’s okay if we deliver a bit later’
4. ‘We know each other long enough — why to
invest into client relations?’
5. ‘We are the experts, they just do not
understand’
Client view:
1. Have perfect materials, e.g. spell checked
2. Your work is important but you deliver just a
small part of the overall project (success)
3. Communication elements are timed:
deadline Fri does not include Sat morning
4. Keep a finger on the pulse (top
management)
5. Knowing for yourself is not enough, be able
to explain/are you sure you understand all
clients considerations?

12. Joachim.Bentz@hotmail.com

13. ISD Group: motivated by realizing creative digital projects
nobody did before. Only for clients who are ready to think
& act outside-of-the-box
Offices:
● Ukraine
● Germany
● United Kingdom
Staff:
60+ developer, designer, engineer,
strategists, content producers
Selected clients:
Beiersdorf, GSK, EBRD, IDS
01001 Kyiv, Ukraine, 15 Khreshchatyk St., office 119 Tel. +38 (044) 569-51-84 www.isd-group.com
Projects:
● AI Versus
● Earth 7
● Voice of water