“The [toxic] client will say, ‘I’ll know when I see it,’ or ‘I know I put you down that direction, but now I need something immediately because my boss has said something different,’” Lane explained.
When FerebeeLane ended a relationship with a client that all of Lane’s criteria applied to, the client wound up calling back a few years later, having gone through other agency partners and been humbled. “What can we change to make it work this time?” the brand marketers asked Lane. The agency went on to work for them for another four years before amicably parting ways after business needs shifted.
Being willing to educate a client at the relationship’s onset is a must. Miller prioritizes documentation covering the agency’s working style, boundaries and expectations of the partnership.
For Miller, communicating to difficult clients in a political way requires thoughtful wording. “When a client hears that people don’t want to work on their business? That phrase is a very compelling phrase for clients,” said Miller. “It doesn’t say that we as an agency don’t want to work on your business, but it’s giving them a hint that ‘Hey, you guys are a tough client to work on.’”
Fight temptation to settle for un-ideal clients
When Bob Wiesner was a managing partner at sales effectiveness firm, The Artemis Partnership, he told Lane to wait it out for clients capable of complementing his agency’s goals. It was important for Lane to ask himself three basic questions: Does the potential client want to do the same kind of work as the agency? Will the agency employees get to work with the people they want to? Will the partnership pay fairly? “You might have to say no,” Lane recalled the consultant telling him.
That agencies should be as scrupulous with client selection as they are in a job interview is obvious. But its not something they always do, and for reasonable rationales. For instance, smaller agencies especially can face layoffs if a toxic client partnership is the one keeping the company afloat. But the decision should be quick if the client crosses a professional or ethical line. Once, Carve Communications had just began work for a client who crossed that line. During a conversation about audience demographics, the client made clearly racist statements. Agency CEO David Barkoe and his team cut off the partnership there.
“We actually not only fired the client, but we returned her [billings] to her … I know it was at least that half of the month that we weren’t working. We’re like, ‘Here! Here’s your money back. We essentially don’t want anything to do with you.’”
Those resigning should come to the meeting with a plan, the leaders ADWEEK spoke with agreed.“It is trying to take as much of the emotion out of the call as possible, and a plan on how to exit and how to transition. That at least sets up the stage for a smoother separation,’ said Lane.
