Agency Agony Uncle

If you are acting in the best interest of your employer and can demonstrate a shortcoming in the quality of a product or service, then why not feed that back to your boss? Surely you have a service level agreement with the agency and if they don’t measure up then that is reason enough to have the appropriate discussion.

On a day-to-day basis, the MD of the agency does not deliver the service of the agency or deal with you, the client, so regardless of how close his relationship with your boss, perhaps he isn’t actually aware that his agency team are not living up to the expectations of you, the client. At the end of the day it’s a business relationship and neither your boss nor the agency MD should tolerate a poor working relationship. Once you have brought it to their attention and if it is a correct appraisal of the situation then you can choose how you respond when you see how your boss responds.

I don’t see why you cannot suggest to your day-to-day contacts a review of all of their activity and their performance; maybe they know it isn’t all rosy. Agencies aren’t stupid and a lot of the time they know when they are doing ‘just enough’ to get by and occasionally need to be asked to account for their input. Suggest it to your boss; perhaps it’s the start of your financial year or the end of a major campaign or the agency has new staff - there are lots of excuses to use as a point of review. Be clear - it’s not an agency review simply a work review - after it, and probably before it, they will ‘up their game’.

Dear Uncle Carl,

I am a board director at a small agency and I think I am being pushed out by my fellow directors. They seem to go off and make decisions when my back is turned and I am getting very concerned. What would you do in my position?

Confront them? If you have a board of directors you should have board meetings and an agenda for issues that need to be discussed and therefore have minutes of who said, did and agreed to what. If they are the share holders and you are a director then perhaps they think they are having shareholder meetings which create ‘policies’ and strategies which they expect you, the ‘staff’, to action. Sounds like you need to ask them to clarify how the business is being run. It’s never a bad thing to check your employment contract and have a lawyer on speed dial!

Dear Uncle Carl,

A senior person at the agency I work for has become embroiled in slanging matches on industry internet forums. It seems to be taking over their life - they even spent Easter Sunday on one of these forums belittling one of our rivals. I’m well below them at the agency so can’t actually say anything to them directly, but how much is too much? And shouldn’t their efforts be more focused on our work rather than our competitors?

Do you know when I think someone is a twat, (it’s a growing list, I must start twatter.com - see last Uncle Carl) I tend to keep my opinions to myself. There is no profit in bad-mouthing anyone, I think it shows a lack of maturity, professionalism and a life!

Any comment that is easily and identifiably aimed at an individual is ‘too much’ and although you say you are ‘well below them at the agency’, I think you may be well above them in the professional stakes. Watch this person be an arse and learn from it; you cannot change them but you can use their poor behaviour to make you a better professional and communicator. And one thing I can guarantee you, because I am so fucking old, is: it will come round and bite him in the arse. If I owned the agency and found one of my senior people was involved in a public slanging match with a competitor I would drag him in and ‘belittle’ him till his fucking head spun. He is a representative of his employer and is possibly putting himself and them in precarious legal position. He should keep his opinions to himself.

Dear Uncle Carl,

We’re an agency of around 20 people and I’ve been thinking the best strategy going forward would be to pick up several small bits of business which we can service well rather than pitching for large contracts which are time consuming and less likely to be won against bigger agencies. Is this a reasonable viewpoint or am I lacking ambition?

Where were you when you came up with this earth-shattering business strategy, hiding under the fucking quilt, trembling at the big bad world? Don’t be such a girl (sorry, that’s insulting to girls). Don’t be such a wuss (what is a wuss?) It’s that kind of ‘viewpoint’ that will see your agency go from 20 people to 10 in a fekking heartbeat my friend.

Yes, these are scary times and yes, it is hard out there but faint heart never won fair maiden! Strap a pair on and get out there. The only ‘small bits’ you will pick up will be the ones lying around and the reason they are lying around is because they ain’t worth having. Look at your competitors and attack their client base - they are struggling too, perhaps their clients are looking to move, to refresh their approach (to save money) but at least they are ‘clients’ i.e. they are worth having.

Anyone can get “small bits” but they will be just as much hassle to look after as the ones that are really worth having. The accounts to avoid are first-time users; you have to educate them and it’s a pain. Owner managed one can be avoided too as every penny from their pocket is like stealing their children and let’s not forget charities; they make you feel warm and fuzzy inside but they never contribute to your profit. Guess which are the easiest “small bits” to pick up off the floor? Yes, first-time users; “oh yes, I’d like a new logo, oh, you call it a brand, sounds great, I will have one of those please! HOW MUCH!!!”

Owner managed businesses; “we want a website, I want my fucking picture in it, a picture of my lovely factory and my sodding dog and I won’t pay more than £200 because I know my lad can build them on his Play station” and finally charities; “well we don’t have a lot of money as you know as we are trying to raise funds for a new home for orphaned garden worms- but you might win an award”.

By the way, yes you are lacking ambition, along with a back bone and a pair of balls - lead your team, don’t hide behind them. Good luck.