THE FOUR P’s OF AGENCY COLLAB
Ever been in a meeting when a client drops the C-bomb? Heckles rise, nervous glances bounce the room and the pleasantries of chit-chat chill into pass-agg. It’s an autonomic agency response to the concept of collaboration.
It’s not that we don’t want to collaborate. It’s just that it’s hard. And we try not to say that out loud because it’s never something clients want to hear. But maybe it’s useful to explore the challenges of collaboration to see if we can make it easier.
So here’s our take on the four P’s of agency collaboration.
PROCESS
While all agencies do similar stuff in similar ways, we all have a different process. Some dive in with ideas and iterate the answer. Others like to plan out the detail and colour in the fluffy bits later. Both paths lead to the same castle, but we do it in different ways.
There are no rights or wrongs in ways of working. Just differences. And each agency’s bedded-in process is the one that works for them. But it’s not always easy to seamlessly slide in to someone else’s process. Put a bunch of chefs in a kitchen without a plan and someone will burn their hand on a frying pan.
You can help with clarity: Line up and agree process before anyone gets started. Who’s doing what, with whom, by when. Check the lanes are clear before you fire the starting pistol.
PEOPLE
When it comes to agency people, we’re actually talking personalities. Agencies are full of them. Big ones, bigger ones and circus performers. It’s these people and their passion that make the magic happen. But big personalities take time to blend together.
That’s why agencies spend time and money building trust. You can’t collaborate without it. Trust is why Mary can tell Colin that his idea sucks – and neither thinks twice as they push on together to find a better one.
But agencies pulled together in projects rarely have those levels of trust. People will say they like stuff when they don’t. Most won’t call out issues for fear of offence. And if someone does, people get offended. Bigger voices dominate. Smaller voices are swallowed. And the work gets forgotten in the wrangle of personalities.
You can help with clear roles: Elect a ring master. Big personalities can be harnessed by hierarchy. Also, take the time to build trust. In-person meetings, drinks afterwards, learn each other’s dog’s names, play together.
PACE
Collaboration takes longer. It just does. The myth of ‘divide and conquer’ explodes in the chaos of duplication, multiple meetings and inconsistent communication. It’s not because agencies don’t want to work together, it’s just that it’s harder to do.
That’s because we know our people, our workloads and our capacity. And agency-life is all about balancing those things and driving efficiency to hit the deadline. It’s a juggle. Two or more jugglers tossing around the same balls need next level dexterity.
And efficiency is the point here. Because that’s how agencies make money. Put two together and things are less efficient. Then both will blame the other for the write offs - it’s just what we do.
You can help with the expectation: Accept that collaboration will take 20-30% longer and cost 20-30% more than the same project in one team. That will help everyone relax.
PARANOIA
This is very real. Most agencies survive in the gap between open and shut. We’re an oversupplied industry selling a commoditised product. Everyone runs at capacity because that’s where the margin is. And that means everyone is hungry and every opportunity is a land-grab.
That’s why we’re all so irritatingly tetchy and annoyingly needy. Throw us a brief we know we can nail and we’ll love you for it. Toss out a bone to a couple of agencies and ask them to work out who gets to nibble what - and we’re more likely to eat each other first.
You can help with transparency: Make sure you’re clear on who’s doing what and who gets what slice of the pie. No collaborating agencies will ever agree a budget split and be happy with it. That’s the client’s job.
WHY BOTHER WITH COLLABORATION?
Great agency collaboration can give you the best of the brilliant minds you work with. It works really well when specialist skills are complementary. It’s trickier when there’s cross-over in scope or skillsets. And it’s almost impossible without clarity of process and roles, transparency of budget and expectation.
It’s also important to remember that all agencies, everywhere, are paranoid. It’s how we survive. Be wary of those who tell you they’re not – because they’re also delusional.
And please don’t think for a second that agencies don’t want to collaborate. Because we do. We just need someone to set the rules before we hit the sandpit. Because somebody, somewhere will always start throwing sand.
That’s what I reckon, what do you think?
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