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When I started my own business over a decade ago, I promised myself I’d only work with people and clients I truly liked.
For the most part I’ve been incredibly lucky – met some amazing people, worked with some outstanding clients and – I hope – made a difference by helping many marketing teams navigate their way through times of challenge and change.
But I can’t help but wonder how long it’s going to be before we come face-to-face with some of the behaviour that seems to be passing off as ‘acceptable’ or ‘normal’ towards agencies and other marketing support services. Woefully underwhelming behaviour from businesses that should know a great deal better is now – unfortunately – not uncommon .
So, since we’re on the subject, here in my opinion, is a timely reminder of the five worst examples of poor client behaviour you might like to ponder during your next pitch:
Free Work
I’m not sure when free work has ever been an acceptable ask, but we’ve heard it more frequently than we should. We’ve seen pitches where clients insist on spec work that’s not paid for. And we’ve heard existing clients asking for a ‘quick favour’ or ‘just mock-up such and such’ which then apparently happens over and over. But the agency is reluctant to say ‘no’ because they don’t want to upset an otherwise stable client / agency relationship. Which leads me to ask, ‘do you give your customers free stuff just because they have the audacity to ask?’ Probably not. So why ask from an agency?
Unreasonable Timing
Unreasonable timing typically shows up in two forms: The first is asking (ahem… ‘insisting’) something is done during downtime – over a weekend or over a holiday period. The second is asking for something to be done in a tenth of the time it would normally take. In culinary terms, take something out of the freezer and bring it to the table, rather than spending any time cooking it. Well, you get the idea. ‘I want it now’ is a sure sign of poor preparation, lack of consideration or cluelessness (sometimes all three).
Extended Payment Terms
90, 120, 180 – even 365(!) day payment terms are apparently seeping their way into agency and supplier agreements to a point where they’ve almost become the norm. Why any client think unreasonable payment schedules are ok when they wouldn’t contemplate it from their customers is a mystery to me. My phone provider bills me thirty days in advance for the following month’s anticipated phone charges. My credit card allows me 21 days to pay my bill or I’m clobbered with a 28.99% annual interest rate charge. So why do some clients then think it’s ok to potentially delay payment for up to six months or more? Would it be ok to hold your pay check for as long as you hold payment to your agencies?
Crickets
Why is it that anyone thinks it’s acceptable not to return an email or a phone call from someone they’ve either worked with or asked to pitch their business? The agency or supplier (a word I hate) comes in, does a presentation at the request of the client; weeks later the agency asks what the status is and the client doesn’t answer. Crickets. Does anyone else get it? Because I don’t. And neither should you. It’s real simple: If you ask an agency to come in and pitch their wares, have the decency to return their call when they ask if you’re still interested. It’s not difficult. And you’re not that busy to dodge an answer. Make the call!
Disrespect
And speaking of respect, your agencies are your chosen partners in helping you solve business problems. They deserve the same respect as any one of your colleagues in your office. Agency resources that are shouted at, ignored, viewed as mind readers, magicians, people who should automatically work nights, weekends or holidays, order takers, manual labourers or something you’d scrape off the bottom of a shoe have the right – and absolutely should – treat you in exactly the same way you treat them.
I wish I was exaggerating, but I’m not. This is a very sorry and all-too-familiar state of affairs that I’m hearing in our industry. And it’s not ok.
Excuses don’t matter. Whether you’re overwhelmed, have unrealistic goals, or simply ‘too busy,’ you have a responsibility to your partners, mentees, and everyone who looks up to your company.
If you’ve got an agency or supplier relationship that you’ve engaged or requested – you owe it to all of them, those you mentor and who look up to your company and yourself, to act with the same responsibility and respect you’d expect from them.
Please. And thank you.
STEPHAN ARGENT
Stephan Argent is Founder and Principal at Listenmore Inc offering confidential advisory to marketers looking for truly independent insight and advice they can’t find anywhere else. Read more like this on our blog Marketing Unscrewed / follow me @StephanArgent
