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Tales from the other side

Posted by Jaan on January 15th, 2009 | 4 comments

Working in the web biz as a provider of services, I love hearing stories from “the other side” i.e. the buyers side. Educational, valuable and at times scary or just plain funny – it is never boring.

The most common complaint from buyers is that many agencies can’t tell the difference between what they offer and what the client needs. In other words, they get “could do” mixed up with “should do”.

Despite briefing agency reps about the basics (product, goal, audience, message, and so on) it is apparently still common for clients to receive agency proposals focused on “what can be done” as opposed to proposals that make a compelling case for how the site will communicate with its audience in order to reach its goal; “what should be done” and “how it should be done”.

Standards compliant code is worthless without a message that resonates. Building a UI that allows users to upload a text file is not the same thing as encouraging people to share their childhood stories. Neither is database wizardry the same as building an app that people want to use every day.

I think this is as much a fault of the client as the agency.

Sure, your florist can probably whip up a decent pasta sauce, but wouldn’t you rather go to a restaurant for your meals? Same goes for agencies: a design centric shop probably shouldn’t be your first choice for heavy database work.

What’s the solution? The same it’s always been – agencies should educate their clients to become better buyers. Even if it means sometimes directing the client to another – complementing as opposed to competing – agency.

Does that sound crazy in these tough financial times? Think about it like this; can you afford to spend time on a client that’s asking for something you’re not an expert on, instead of excelling at a project that will lead to a satisfied client happy to recommend you to others?

Comments

KyNam Doan

January 15, 2009 at 2:12 pm

This is definitely a point worth noting, Jaan.

It is my experience that when my value offering is misaligned with a client, I more often than not lose money, lose time, AND lose the client.

By referring the client to an appropriate vendor, I am investing in my brand and lead generation infrastructure on two fronts – the foregone client, and the complementing agency. Clients and agencies more often than not return the gesture multiple times if a rapport can be established.

Fans are hard to come by, consequentially, I keep contact with them and educate them on all my core competencies throughout the referral process.

I can then use this freed-up time to refine my message – why did this prospective client approach me for value that I do not offer? There might be a disconnect between my message and my core competencies.
Jaan

January 15, 2009 at 10:10 pm

Thanks for sharing your approach. I think it’s spot on.
Jan Friman

January 15, 2009 at 10:15 pm

From different experiences working in an IT-company, commercial agency and web agency, there are an ocean wide difference in mind-set, language and how you look at solutions. Referring to “technical issues”, “design matters” and “business needs”, these terms create different fields of interaction and understanding.

What is needed is an integrated view on how all these aspects come together and make “the clients client” a happy customer, wanting to come back for more of the same, or maybe different of the same.

Looking from “outside-in”, or “down-up”, depending which view you prefer, giving everybody in the process a common view, a common mind-set and language to create a functional solution around.

It’s actually becomes very human.
Just ask “how would you like to be treated”, which experience would you prefer”, putting yourself in the role of the end user, experiencing their experience.

I just read a lovely post by @rosshill – “Simple web platforms make amazing things happen”. You find it here:
http://www.rosshill.com.au/article/simple-web-platforms-make-amazing-things-happen/

The beauty of this approach is that your starting point is equal to the end experience. This is the potential of what everyone would like to create.

Cheers, Jan
Jaan

January 15, 2009 at 10:35 pm

Hi Jan, good to hear from you!

Humanizing a biz dialogue is always a great thing to do.

Removing convoluted corporate speak, replacing it with a dialogue between people relating to other people, makes things infinitely easier. And the end result better.

Thank you for the link, will check it out.