Knowing Is Growing: The vital role of 'understanding' in agency-client relationships

Something’s up. We see that clearly in the data we collect. 

The best agencies continue to tactically deliver and strategically lead. Yet, the number one complaint among senior clients — the ones who control budgets and hire and fire agencies — is around a lack of vision and strategy. 

“But clients won’t pay for this higher lever, longer term type of work.” We hear that often. 

Ever since Covid flung us deep into the tactical pit of crisis management, it feels like the previous balance hasn’t quite been restored. It can be difficult to see beyond the task in hand and have a long-term vision when there’s:

• Short-termism 

• Huge growth in project work 

• Constant client reorganisation 

But here’s the problem: 

These developments appear to be leading a general narrowing of agencies’ peripheral vision. 

Often, when we ask teams how well they understand a client’s business, they plunge into a description of the project brief. A sound understanding of the project is good — but not enough for a lasting agency-client relationship. 

You need to go beyond that. 

A Vital Business Investment 

Nineteen years worth of data tells us this much: 

The agency-client relationship needs to feel like a partnership to succeed. 

One of the key foundation stones for that is a strong understanding of the client’s business as it: 

• Highlights what matters most to your client

• Identifies how your work fits into the bigger whole 

• Increases alignment around a shared agenda 

• Gives your efforts a better chance of landing 

• Minimises friction and wasted effort 

• Allows you to spot the next opportunity 

A genuine understanding of their broader business, culture, protocols, and ways of working, is more than time well spent. We’d argue it’s business critical. 

So how do you get there? 

You look at the client work from two perspectives — the business and the human. 

From a business standpoint, consider: 

• What’s the ultimate goal that your work is helping to achieve?

• Is what they hired you for still what they need? 

• Do their agenda and priorities remain the same? 

• Do you have good visibility of precisely where your work (or a specific brief) sits in the client’s business strategy? 

• What are the implications for how you approach that work?

• What other business problems might you be well-positioned to support with? 

At the end of the day, business-to-business is really person-to-person. That means you also need to understand: 

• What’s driving your client at an individual level 

• Their personal motivation, agenda, and objectives 

• How they are bonused 

• How this might affect their response to you and your work 

This level of insight oils the wheels of the working experience. If you have it, you know what’s important to your client — and what matters most of all. 

You’ll be able to: 

• Connect the dots 

• Identify more opportunities 

• Increase productivity and efficiency 

• Hit your targets the first time 

While investing the time required to build this knowledge may feel hard amidst shrinking scopes and tightening budgets, the truth is — this is one investment that will generate high ROI. 

It will give you a greater chance of being a key part of your client’s long-term vision, not just one brief.

Anna Hopwood
The Client Relationship Consultancy