Building Strong Client-Agency Relationships: Best Practice for Success

A successful relationship between a market research agency and its client is built on trust, collaboration, and clear communication. A productive partnership leads to better results for the business, but crucially it also supports the wellbeing of both parties. Inspired by the principles of the AURA Working Well Together Charter, here are some key strategies to ensure a strong and healthy client-agency relationship.

1. Pitch perfect – mutual respect from the outset

The client-agency relationship starts long before a project kicks off. During the pitching process, by keeping communication transparent and expectations well-defined, market research agencies will be able to focus on crafting innovative solutions rather than rushing to meet unclear deadlines. Clients can consider the following to achieve this.

• Provide clear briefs that are stakeholder-approved, and which include an indicative budget.
• Provide the pitching agency with a realistic idea of their chance of winning (e.g., are they one of three agencies pitching, or one of eight?).
• Agree realistic deadlines and only request a tight turnaround if genuinely required.
• Provide timely feedback on proposals and project outcomes and offer constructive insights if an agency is unsuccessful in winning a pitch.

2. Kick off from strong foundations – respect time, boundaries and expectations

A market research agency and the client they hope to work with will have the same end objective: a project that delivers the required outcome at an agreeable cost and within an appropriate timeframe. Quality will be a priority for both parties to maintain reputation and to satisfy stakeholders. Finding the sweet spot early in the relationship that suits the needs of both parties, is critical and it all comes down to open and honest communication.

• Agree on working hours and acknowledge that responses outside office hours should not be expected unless specifically discussed.
• Accept that deadlines should be reasonable, avoiding tight turnarounds when unnecessary.
• Agree how to balance speed, quality and cost and discuss what factors will impact each part of the equation.
• Respect that each party is an expert in their respective field – listen and respect opinions and recommendations.
• Accept that changes in scope happen and that they don’t have to be a problem, but being open to discussing revised timelines and budgets is essential.

3. Work together – maximise efficiency and efficacy

The relationship between a market research agency and a client works best when the agency is considered an extension of the client-side team. Sharing project background information and context with the agency, along with the ideal outcomes, is essential. An agency wants to be clear what a successful project looks like for their client partner.

• The client should outline the internal approval process and be open about internal challenges they face or anticipate.
• Agencies can do their best to be agile and responsive, providing they get the information that enables them to work that way.
• A single point of contact for approval at key stages and access to decision makers should be facilitated when needed, and stakeholder expectations must be managed internally by the client.
• The client should minimise the bureaucratic hurdles to ensure key components such as the payment process are streamlined and avoid delays.

4. Report collaboratively – joint perspectives provide insightful outcomes

If an agency and its client have worked together during the project process, it is natural for that collaboration to continue during the analysis and reporting stage. The agency will have the research experience to ensure data is interpreted correctly, but the insights it generates from the data will be enhanced by drawing on an internal client perspective.

• Consider discussing the reporting output during the survey period so when the data is ready, both parties are comfortable with how the output is going to be crafted.
• Be open to receiving and giving constructive feedback on report or presentation outlines and drafts.
• Allow enough time between the delivery of the data by the agency and internal deadlines to ensure insight can be tailored appropriately.

5. End of project review – keep the door open

Whether the project scope is a one-off piece of work or research that will be repeated annually, ending the project professionally will provide both parties with a conclusive end. This will enable a smooth transition to the next piece of work or keep the door open for future work opportunities.

• Conduct a project wash-up session to identify successes and areas for improvement.
• Where possible provide follow up information to an agency on how the research has been used – your project manager will have invested time in your research and in doing so will feel close to the project.
• Positive project feedback for the agency to use for case studies and client testimonials is always highly valued, so consider submitting feedback for this where appropriate.

Like any working relationship, the one between an agency and a client needs effort from both sides to operate smoothly. A strong client-agency relationship is built on respect, collaboration, and shared success. By following these principles, businesses can foster productive partnerships that not only yield great results but also create an enjoyable and stress-free working environment.