Jonathan Kirk wants to talk about clients. The Up to the Light founder, and author of the What Clients Think Report – based on 680 client interviews and produced alongside the Design Business Association – believes relationships are key. In fact, he argues that the quality of client relationships, rather than the quality of thinking or creative output, is the biggest differentiator between design agencies. But what does a good client relationship really look like. We spoke with Kirk to find out. Clients are under increased pressures. What does that mean for agencies’ approach to client services? Our client interviews give a strong sense that clients are generally time starved, under-resourced and struggling to achieve more with less. This is against a backdrop of economic and political uncertainty, yet coupled with a relentless pace of change when it comes to technology, markets and customer behaviour. Given this environment, there is often an understandable focus on dealing with immediate challenges at the expense of longer-term brand building. So, what does that mean for agencies? Firstly, the concept of efficient but passive account management is outdated. Clients need agencies to drive projects, not just manage them. Clients’ time is now at a premium, and they need agencies to soak up some of that pressure and really take the reins. I think of this as true client service, not traditional account management. Secondly, clients are increasingly relying on agencies to be their eyes and ears. Most clients have a relatively narrow focus. They spend every day with heads down on their particular brands and sectors. They can also be surprisingly inward looking, with 55% of clients stating that their biggest challenges are internal not external. External agencies have the huge advantage of continually experiencing different brands, markets and challenges. Their frame of reference is so much larger, and this is of huge potential benefit to clients. However, 44% of clients would like their agency to share more of the work they do for other clients. They don’t just mean relaying case studies but sharing learning that’s relevant to their particular situation. Many clients acknowledge that their focus can be too narrow and want agencies to help open their horizons. Thirdly, there is an increased demand for proactivity that goes above and beyond the project in-hand. This is often the difference between a good supplier relationship and a true client/agency partnership. What do agencies need to be doing to best serve and engage their clients? Doing the basics well is vital. Things like good and regular communication, concise updates on progress, note-taking at meetings, use of agendas, sticking to timelines and budgets. These are the familiar ingredients of solid account management. The challenge for agencies is that these are now increasingly seen as a given. 45% of clients believe that their agency’s account management is too transactional and are demanding an enhanced level of interaction. They often talk about the need for projects to be “driven”, not just managed, and stress that a more proactive approach would create a stronger sense of partnership. It’s interesting to note that 58% of clients view their agency as a “partner” – a decrease on last year. When asked what damages that perception, the number one factor is “a decline in proactivity.” In these circumstances, clients talk about a slide towards a more functional and delivery-led relationship. Things have become more “command and control” where the agency is taking direction and completing tasks. “Arguably, the biggest difference between agencies is not found in the quality of thinking and creative output, but in the quality of their client relationships.” Proactivity is an important element, whether that’s flagging up issues and concerns or raising budget problems earlier. A common client complaint is, “The agency should have mentioned it before we did.” Other examples include better planning at the start of bigger projects, a better ability to relate the project to the bigger picture or just being more open and self-critical. It’s a level of proactivity where the agency becomes an invaluable ally, not just a support. “Driving” projects also means being forceful when required. A common accusation is that the agency is “too nice” and should be firmer when the client is slow, or not providing enough information. Similarly, clients appreciate a firmer or bolder viewpoint. It shouldn’t be forgotten that clients view the agency as the expert. Agencies need to take confidence from that and be more prepared to speak up when necessary. How do you make sure proactivity is built in? Proactivity rarely happens consistently unless it’s planned for, so the key to ensuring proactivity is really good client development. I see a lot of client development plans that are too general and not action orientated enough, so it’s important to really commit to 30-/60-/90-day plans and build them into the agency’s culture and way of doing things. Each client development plan should have an owner, but then different members of the team can help deliver it as part of a team effort. Client development shouldn’t all rest with one or two key people. 77% of clients believe that good client development strengthens the client/agency relationship. This isn’t about “selling” or asking the client for more business. Great client development is building trust and generating ideas that add value for both client and agency. One other point to add is that 78% of clients wish their agency would focus their proactivity on improving what already exists, rather than coming up with totally new or off-the-wall ideas. It’s very important, therefore, for the agency to choose their subject matter carefully. For clients, the best and most useful proactivity tends to be closer to home. It’s more a case of “Help us fix what we’ve got” rather than coming up with outlandish ideas. We also hear from clients about badly directed examples of proactivity. Day-to-day client contacts tend to have a different definition of proactivity than more senior client levels, so it’s vital to direct the correct type of proactivity to the correct level. You mentioned earlier the need to be a client’s eyes and ears. What does that mean? Many agencies talk about the importance of curiosity. This is usually related to their creative approach but it’s interesting to think how it should also apply when it comes to being clients’ eyes and ears. Is the agency continually monitoring their client’s top three competitors? Are they bringing interesting analogies with other brands and markets? Are they sharing learning and insights from their case studies? Do they have their finger on the pulse when it comes to technological change or consumer trends, and are they sharing that with clients? Many clients see the agency as a conduit for meeting their peers. Is the agency staging events where clients can meet each other? In our interviews, many clients talk about the need for agencies to “tell us what’s new out there.” It’s no coincidence that the most read sections of agency newsletters tend to be those areas where designers share new and interesting things they’ve come across. Time-short, pressurised clients are leaning on their agencies as never before to show them what’s going on beyond the narrow confines of their particular brand and sector. If all this is done well, what can it mean for the client relationship, and for the design agency? Arguably, the biggest difference between agencies is not found in the quality of thinking and creative output, but in the quality of their client relationships. When a lot of agency focus goes into the next new business win, client retention and development can easily take a back seat and be undervalued. The reality is that holding on to your clients for longer and winning more business from them are powerful drivers of agency fortunes. Great client service and a structured, consistent approach to client development should form the blueprint for agency growth. Industries in this article