Agency-Client Relationship Survey 2022: Marketing Relationship Debunked

Everything You Need to Know in Less Than 50 Words

A few things have come to light in the just-completed survey conducted by Setup. One astounding revelation is that client dissatisfaction rates are astronomically high, with a record sixty percent gearing towards cutting ties with their agency in 2023. The agency-client relationship is currently a hot mess. 

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Good News for Full-Service Agencies. Compared to previous years, the demand for generalist marketing agencies has grown exponentially as most companies now prefer working with all-around agencies. Clients are looking for a one-stop shop regarding their agency preferences giving full-service agencies the upper hand over their specialist counterparts.

Clients are Looking for Winning Strategies. As much as the agencies would like to believe that budget cuts are behind most of the severed relationships with their clients, the companies executives paint a different picture. Among clients, the biggest factor leading to cutting ties with their agency is dissatisfaction with its strategic approach.

Companies should use the budget-cut line on agencies because simply put, it is easier to say. Where agencies fail to deliver positive impacts toward the company’s marketing and branding approach, they stand to lose their clients. With thousands of agencies to choose from, it is no surprise that companies have no tolerance for underperforming agencies.

Recently, there has been widespread resignation of key players for both companies and agencies. Consequently, many agencies have credited untimely severance with their clients to changes in personnel on the client’s side. Similarly, clients are significantly more dissatisfied with their agency when they lose key players to their teams.

To counter the effects of the great resignation, both agencies and clients are attempting to up their antics in hiring and maintaining talent. From mental health awareness, accommodation, and improvement, to company policy revitalization, both companies and agencies are trying to stay ahead of the curve in talent retention.

Clients are always on the lookout for agencies that meet their requirements, and agencies that provide the following services have managed to stay ahead of the curve and thrive in this uncertain business environment.

• Brand Identity
• Media Planning and Buying
• Public relations
• Web and mobile design development
• Content Creation

As much as the agency popularity landscape has remained stagnant, it is important to notice that most companies no longer prioritize content creation. However, it remains among the top five.

Good marketing is great on the agency’s side, but most companies hire their agencies on a referral basis. It makes perfect sense for companies to go for agencies that their friends or colleagues highly rate. Furthermore, an agency is more likely to be hired if it has provided excellent service to a company with similar problems.

Source: Search Engine Land