UP TO THE LI GHT

WHAT CLIENTS THINK 2014

WHAT CLIENTS THINK 2014
I N ASSOCI ATI ON WI TH
WHAT
CLIENTS
THINK
2014
A report based on 400 client
interviews conducted on
behalf of design agencies.
UP TO THE LI GHT 2| WHAT CLI ENTS THI NK 2014
This report is based on 400 interviews that
Up to the Light conducted with clients during
the course of 2013. All the interviews were
commissioned by design agencies. Names of
the individual agencies and clients involved
are condential. However, we are able to share
some interesting statistics when looking across
all 400 interviews. They reveal a fascinating
snapshot of the client viewpoint and provide
some important pointers for how agencies can
strengthen their client relationships.
1. INTRODUCTION
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I NTRODUCTI ON
All the agencies commissioned Up
to the Light to conduct a Client
Survey with their key clients. The
purpose was to monitor the health
of their most important client/
agency relationships.
Specically:
- Understand current perceptions
of their agencys strengths and
weaknesses.
- Understand which boxes clients are
putting them in, whether fairly or
unfairly.
- Provide a better understanding of
client needs and concerns.
- Identify client development
opportunities.
- Highlight client service measures
that can improve the relationship.
- Spot any problems early so that
they can be dealt with proactively.
- Understand how they are
compared to competitor agencies.
- Provide an assessment of client
perceptions across areas such
as creativity, value for money,
ability to add value, proactivity,
efective listening and commercial
awareness.
- Understand how clients see the
market more generally trends and
concerns.
The disciplines of the diferent
agencies included:
- Retail design
- Packaging design
- Digital design
- Corporate identity
- Corporate communications
- Corporate reporting
- Print design
- Integrated or multi-disciplinary
design
The design agencies range in size
from under 5 employees to over 100.
1.1 About the agencies
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I NTRODUCTI ON
The 400 interviews are across a very
broad range of clients diferent
industries, UK and international,
business to business, business to
consumer, not for prot.
Diferent areas represented include:
- Food and drink manufacturers
- Fashion retailers
- Other high street retailers
- Supermarkets
- Department stores
- Government
- Financial services
- Pharmaceuticals
- Health care
- Charities
- Arts/cultural venues
- Automotive
- Education
- Professional services rms
- Industry bodies
- Hi tech/software
- Chemicals
Job titles of people interviewed range
from Chairman, Chief Executive
and Board Directors of major
organisations to Brand Managers.
However, they all have responsibility
for buying design and have a
relationship with a design agency.
Most interviewees are responsible for
day to day dealings with the design
agency, whilst some interviewees
have a more senior overseeing role.
1.2 About the clients
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All the interviewees were rst asked by their
design agency for permission to be interviewed
by Up to the Light. Many clients are now used to
taking part in such an exercise and are impressed
that their agency is taking the trouble to conduct
an independent Client Survey. Consequently,
they take time to give considered answers and
most interviews last 30-45 minutes. Some are
considerably longer.
All 400 interviews were conducted on the
telephone. The statistics in this report are based
on a core question set that was used across all
400 interviews. The answers to bespoke questions
used to probe issues specic to a particular client/
agency relationship are not included.
2. THE INTERVIEWS
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THE I NTERVI EWS
UP TO THE LI GHT
OF CLIENTS CONSIDER GOOD DESIGN TO
BE AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FACTOR
IN THE SUCCESS OF THEIR BUSINESS
There is widespread client acknowledgement of the contribution that
good design can bring to business success.

OF CLIENTS CONSIDERED THEIR AGENCY
TO BE GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY

A lot of agencies are seen to be delivering good value for money and
there is general acceptance of the fact that successful, commercially
efective design always represents a superb return on investment.
However, there is also a general downward pressure on fees
(See 2.4 Agency Costs).
94% 66%
2.1 The value of design
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THE I NTERVI EWS
OF CLIENTS LOOK FORWARD TO
MEETINGS WITH THEIR DESIGN AGENCY

It is easy for agencies to forget that their area of business is very
diferent from how clients spend most of their time. Creativity and all
things visual can and should be the little bit of magic in
a clients week.
OF CLIENTS WITH A WEAK OR MORE
VULNERABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH
THEIR AGENCY CITED CLIENT SERVICE
ISSUES AS THE MAIN REASON
The biggest reason for client/agency fall outs are not the quality of
creativity or thinking, but nuts and bolts client service issues. These
often start as relatively minor, irritating niggles and end up as fatal
evidence that the agency is not listening.
Typical examples include: Budget management (failing to ag things up early) Sloppiness
(late for meetings, not prepared) Haphazard (no contact reports, client has to chase, last
minute feeling, poor communications) Hiding problems Too passive (not driving things,
supplier not partner mentality) Making it hard work (choosing the wrong battles, overly
defensive, taking it personally, stubborn).
74% 78%
2.2 Client service
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THE I NTERVI EWS
OF CLIENTS REFERRED TO AN AGENCY
MISTAKE THAT HAPPENED OVER
A YEAR AGO
Clients have long memories for the bad stuf. Once a mistake has been
made or a concern about the agency becomes a client talking point,
it can become very difcult to shift.
OF CLIENTS BELIEVED THAT
THEIR AGENCY UNDERSTOOD THE
MARKET AND COMMERCIAL REALITIES
ONLY IN PART
For some clients in part is not a problem. They are saying that the
agency knows as much as they need to know and cannot be expected
have the same level of understanding as a client who is immersed
on a day to day basis. However, other clients believe their agency
falls short. The most common problem cited is the lack of a robust
rationale to support design recommendations.
37% 61%
2.2 Client service (continued)
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THE I NTERVI EWS
OF CLIENTS RARELY OR NEVER READ
THE AGENCY NEWSLETTER OR CLAIM
NOT TO RECEIVE IT
The message here is that agencies should not over rely on their
agency newsletter as a means of agency/client communication.
Agency newsletters are becoming akin to wallpaper. Clients receive
too many of them and are too busy to look at them or read
them in any depth.
OF CLIENTS COULD NOT REMEMBER
VISITING THEIR AGENCYS WEBSITE

Typical comments are, I looked at it when we rst selected them or
Ive never had a reason to look at it. And thats the point. Clients are
not being given reasons to visit their agencys website. Therefore, a
major agency/client communication channel is being missed.
44% 93%
2.3 Agency communications
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THE I NTERVI EWS
OF CLIENTS STATED THAT THEY ARE
LOOKING TO REDUCE AGENCY COSTS

Most clients felt under some pressure to contain and reduce costs.
Many clients talk about benchmarking exercises or an intention
to carry one out.
OF CLIENTS BELIEVE
THEIR AGENCY TO BE A LITTLE
EXPENSIVE VERSUS OTHER AGENCIES
These clients believed their agency to be a little expensive regardless
of whether they had done any recent cost comparisons. The
judgement was often based on no more than a feeling. Perhaps this
reects an underlying nervousness about buying creative services,
a less tangible area than other purchases.
81% 69%
2.4 Agency costs
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THE I NTERVI EWS
OF CLIENTS BELIEVE THAT THEIR DESIGN
AGENCY COULD BE MORE PROACTIVE
IN ADDING VALUE AND SHARING
KNOWLEDGE
One of the most frequent client comments about their agency is,
Show us whats new out there or Be our eyes and ears. Clients spend
their time in the fairly narrow eld of their brand and market. They
appreciate analogies with other markets and examples of other brands
with similar challenges. As consultants, agencies are ideally placed
to do this but are not always taking advantage of the opportunities
to add value.
OF CLIENTS BELIEVE THAT THEIR
DESIGN AGENCY COULD BE BETTER
AT COMMUNICATING IN THE GAPS
BETWEEN PROJECTS
Most clients believe that their particular organisations and areas of
business are changing fast. In clients eyes, a 2 month gap between
projects can leave their agency out of touch with developments. In a
largely project based business, many agencies do not seem to have
efective keep in touch programmes in place.
68%
76%
2.5 Added value
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THE I NTERVI EWS
OF CLIENTS EXPECT MORE FROM THEIR
AGENCY AFTER THE FIRST YEAR

No matter how successful the rst year of a client/agency relationship,
most clients expect more in year 2. They point to an increased
knowledge of the brand/organisation and a higher level of trust. This
should naturally lead to more proactive ideas and a more efective
partnership. The message is, never rest on your laurels because client
expectations evolve.
OF CLIENTS BELIEVE THAT THEIR
DESIGN AGENCY EXCEEDS THEIR
EXPECTATIONS
If it was all down to quality of creative work, then this gure would
be signicantly higher. However, clients were asked to take the whole
client/agency relationship into account.
92% 8%
2.5 Added value (continued)
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THE I NTERVI EWS
OF CLIENTS ARE NOT AWARE OF THEIR
AGENCYS FULL SKILL SET

Is there anything more annoying than being overlooked for a project
that is entirely within the agencys skill set? Clients are naturally prone
to put their agencies in particular boxes. Once established these boxes
can be extremely difcult to break out of. Continued client education
about the agencys capabilities is a must.
OF CLIENTS WOULD RECOMMEND
THEIR AGENCY TO A COLLEAGUE/FRIEND
NOT UNRESERVEDLY BUT
WITH CAVEATS
In other words, they are saying, Yes, they are good but watch out
for Gaining real client commitment, over and above mere client
satisfaction, is hard won. Never take client loyalty and
commitment for granted.
63%
73%
2.6 Client development
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THE I NTERVI EWS
OF CLIENTS WERE UNABLE TO NAME
A DIRECT COMPETITOR OF THEIR
INCUMBENT DESIGN AGENCY
Generally speaking, clients knowledge of the design industry is poor,
reecting the cottage industry nature of the market with so many
small agencies, largely undiferentiated in clients eyes. Dont forget
that even the biggest design agencies are still small businesses next to
most client organisations. Clients understanding of diferent players,
their areas of specialisation, strengths and diferences or whos up
and coming is often hazy or incorrect. No wonder, then, the rather
incongruous choice of agencies on many pitch lists.
OF CLIENTS BELIEVE THAT A PITCH IS
GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE FOR HIGH
VALUE PROJECTS
It looks as if pitching is here to stay. For high value pitches, the vast
majority of clients considered a pitch to be best practice and simply
a matter of carrying out due diligence. It would almost be
a professional embarrassment not to.
N.B. Clients were questioned about pitches generally. No distinction
was made between paid pitches and free pitches.
55% 96%
2.6 Client development (continued)
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THE I NTERVI EWS
Other important expectations are:
Understand the brand its positioning, personality, target
audience and competitors.
Issues around delivery on time, on budget, smooth process,
good communication.
Good chemistry respect, trust and like the agencys people,
enthusiasm, energy.
Value for money competitive costs, proportionate to the task
and not one size ts all.
Good partners proactive, pragmatic, commercially aware,
committed.
OF CLIENTS LISTED CREATIVITY AS
THEIR TOP AGENCY EXPECTATION

Clients were asked to list 3-4 top expectations of their agency. About
80% of these clients talked about creativity that answers the brief and
used words such as appropriate, efective and relevant. Only about
20% of these clients talked about creativity that pushes boundaries,
using words and phrase such as pushing parameters,
the wow factor, game changing and inspirational.
82%
2.7 Client expectations
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THE I NTERVI EWS
THEYVE
BECOME A BIT
COMFORTABLE
Its difcult to show
enthusiasm, proactivity
and commitment over a
long period of time. Where
long standing client/agency
relationships are concerned,
its all too easy to be seen
as a little complacent versus
hungry agencies knocking
on the clients door.
THEY COULD
BE MORE
PROACTIVE
Clients tend to view the
subject diferently depending
on their seniority. For
instance, junior and middle
management clients usually
see proactivity as being
within the project. Flagging
up budget issues ahead
of time, spotting potential
problems early or challenging
the brief all fall into this
category. However, more
senior clients tend to view
agency proactivity as being
about the wider business.
Typical examples include
monitoring competitors,
providing analogies with
other brands and markets or
coming up with ideas that
have a direct bearing on
sales and protability.
I DONT REALLY
KNOW ENOUGH
ABOUT THEM
Clients are often rather hazy
about their agencys areas
of expertise and relevant
experience. Not many
agencies are taking time to
re-present their credentials
and systematically inform
clients about their full skill set.
Clients are generally quick
to pick up when an agency
is being a bit passive in this
respect. They like to see
that their agency is a buzzy,
dynamic and successful
company. The message is,
up the volume.
THEY DONT
CHALLENGE ME
ENOUGH
The agency is a brief taker
not a consultant. This
can sometimes happen
over a period of time as
the workload becomes
demanding and the focus is
simply on delivering work
against tight timescales.
THEY NEED TO
BE STRONGER
WITH US
Many clients are looking
for their agency to drive
things more scheduling of
meetings, managing budgets,
chasing harder, taking more
responsibility.
I have to chase and remind
them. It should be the other
way around is a typical
comment.
2.8 AND FINALLY, THE TOP 5 CLIENT COMPLAINTS
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I N ASSOCI ATI ON WI TH
Up to the Light is a specialist consultancy ofering
expert, objective and experienced advice for
marketing services agencies and professional
services rms. Our approach is to challenge
ingrained assumptions and ofer more efective,
insight-led thinking.
If youd like to discuss an independent
Client Survey for your agency, please contact
Jonathan Kirk.
Services include:
Client Surveys
Business development strategy
Pitching advice
Business diferentiation
Training & workshops
Brand strategy Up to the Light Ltd.
Premier House
11 Marlborough Place
Brighton BN1 1UB
T +44 (0)1273 665475
E info@uptothelight.co.uk
www.uptothelight.co.uk
3. ABOUT UP TO THE LIGHT