Redefining Relationships to Deliver True Client Centricity
by Deborah Heslip and Laura Davis, Media.Monks
While many mid-size to larger agencies may say or think they have a client-centric operating model, it’s easy for that to get lost in internal processes and silos. Different capabilities in the organization may each have vastly different relationships with the same client; the same could be said of teams servicing a client in different regions, each with their own goals and priorities.
Since becoming Co-Chief Client Officers at Media.Monks last year, we’ve worked to overcome these challenges by designing a truly client-centric model that breaks down silos, unifies priorities across regions and capabilities, and increases visibility across every client relationship. Here’s why we set out to achieve that goal and what we’ve learned along the way.
Goodbye one-size-fits-all approach, hello nuanced client setups.
Originally, we managed clients both big and small the same way, with a dedicated team and resources. But this model became increasingly unsustainable, so we shifted our focus to design two different frameworks: we continue to source dedicated staff for our biggest retainer clients, while our smaller, more growth-focused clients share a pool of talent who are called in as needed. For our people, this shared approach to resourcing had the added benefit of giving them some much-appreciated variety in their work as they serve different clients at different times. What didn’t change, though, is that every client is given an account lead, a creative lead and a strategic lead who are knowledgeable of the ins and outs of the brand.
The distinction between these two setups isn’t necessarily based on the financial value of the SOW, but rather what is the most efficient way to manage that relationship. This is important to remember for our smaller client relationships that we expect to grow; as they scale up, we don’t want to completely change how they operate with our business. So, it’s always a matter of understanding what best serves where we’re at with a client at any given time.
Governance helps break barriers and silos.
To support our fully client-centric approach, we established governance teams that oversee all relationships. This allows us to bring different levels of subject matter expertise across the business, who otherwise would have been working in silos. Governance isn’t always complex; it can be as simple as ensuring that clients are represented in our Salesforce instance in a standardized way that reduces duplicate entries made by different teams.
This has helped us go a long way in breaking down barriers between the various capabilities who serve the same client but in different ways. Let’s say an opportunity comes in through a large tech client, which ends up in the hands of our social capability. Let's say an opportunity comes in for one of our established clients through our social practice. In our new client centric model, the capability works with the business to ensure we are bringing business and SME expertise to our response, ultimately driving the best thinking for our clients in a truly collaborative fashion.
Client-centricity delivers numerous benefits.
Successfully delivering on our promise of client centricity has led to positive outcomes. First, it’s made us better able to prioritize across different capabilities servicing the same client. For example, our studio team might want to focus on a sexy piece of creative, while the client team might want to prioritize building always-on hygiene content for the brand. By orchestrating everyone together, our job is to ensure decisions about what to do next aren’t made in a vacuum; we can make a logical choice from a growth standpoint rather than the whims of a single capability.
Likewise, client-centricity enables us to extend our focus across the global organization, providing a cohesive view of everything we’re doing for a client around the world. It isn’t easy for a client to have a consistent management experience globally, so we make sure we can make connections on their behalf between opportunities and efforts being made in different markets. We often surprise our clients by giving their people visibility into the activities of their counterparts around the world, underscoring the strategic layer that a client-centric model adds to the equation.
Perhaps most importantly when it comes to client engagement and loyalty, this model gives us a cohesive view into what client satisfaction looks like. We can more effectively monitor and respond to client needs, ensuring that their satisfaction is always at the forefront of our decision-making process. Furthermore, it allows us to continuously improve our services based on direct feedback, aligning our efforts more closely with client expectations and fostering a deeper, more meaningful partnership.
Unifying for growth and client satisfaction.
In our approach, our goal is not just to manage but to enhance each client relationship by strategically harmonizing cross-functional expertise and diverse capabilities. For instance, when tasked with building an ecommerce platform, we might discover synergies with an ongoing project aimed at enhancing product imagery and assets. By aligning these projects, we not only streamline efforts but also accelerate delivery and enhance the overall quality of both, directly benefiting our clients. This process is central to our 'land and expand' strategy, allowing us to build upon established relationships and bypass lengthy pitch cycles. It's a gratifying strategy that accelerates growth and fosters deeper partnerships, moving beyond transactional engagements to truly transformative collaborations.
By focusing on client-centricity, we not only enhance our operational effectiveness but also strengthen our relationships, ensuring that each client feels valued and understood. This strategic focus not only drives business growth but also builds a robust foundation for future successes.
Deborah Heslip, Media.Monks
Deborah Heslip, Global Chief Client Officer at Media.Monks, brings over two decades of experience in fostering talent and leadership development. She is dedicated to shaping the future of the industry through strong client partnerships, innovation, and technology adoption. Her previous roles include leading the Level Studios agency brand at Publicis Group and contributing to notable agencies such as Ogilvy, J. Walter Thompson, and Doner Advertising. Deborah has played a significant role in the marketing strategies of global companies like Coca-Cola, Apple, Ford, Google, and Amazon.
Laura Davis, Media.Monks