Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: Three Signs It’s Time to Terminate a Bad Client Relationship

November 16, 2018

Like any good relationship, as an agency we never start working with a new client imagining in the end it will fail. If you’ve been around the PR block long enough, however, you will find yourself facing the inevitable post-mortem evaluation of a client relationship gone sour.

Unfortunately, agencies sometimes find themselves on the losing end of this equation whether warranted or not. It’s easy to blame the vendor and allow them to bear the brunt of the failed engagement, or to imagine if they had only delivered something more, or something different, the relationship would have succeeded.

Certainly, agencies sometimes fail to meet their deliverables. This doesn’t always equate to an unsuccessful relationship, however, any more than crossing off every KPI equates to blissful symbiosis. Far more than measuring metrics, the value of a client-agency relationship lies in matching up philosophies and fostering trusted communication, where both sides take an active interest and a responsibility for successes and failures.

Over nearly 20 years of building productive, long term relationships and enjoying many repeat clients, we’ve learned a thing or two about how to make a partnership work. Along the way, we’ve also witnessed a few red flags that almost always equate to a problematic client-agency relationship. We’ve also learned some tips in navigating them to avoid the unpleasant ending. 

1. No follow through

The life of a PR strategist is one of the never-ending chase. We’re accustomed to chasing down details, chasing down results, chasing the media and, often, chasing our clients. We also spend a significant part of our time chasing new business leads. We don’t mind having to chase when first introduced to a prospective client, as it takes a bit of follow through to spark that initial relationship.

Prospective clients who require multiple contacts before they will reply however, should raise a big red flag for any agency. Will it be hard to track down necessary information once you’re engaged in a partnership? Will you miss crucial deadlines due to lack of response? Do they value your time as much as they value their own? A sign of mutual business respect goes a long way in determining whether this match-up can produce real results.

How to avoid this? Set clear expectations from the start about what is expected from the client and what the agency will deliver. Be crystal clear about when follow up needs to happen, and if a deadline is missed as a result, be gentle but firm in explaining why. Don’t be afraid to include requirements for client actions in a new contract. If a lack of follow through necessitates walking away from business, know you are doing the best you can to avoid unfulfilled expectations and potential frustrations for you and your team.

2. Chaotic infrastructure

Interestingly, this isn’t just an issue for startups. A company of any size has to be prepared to effectively manage a PR strategy, even if they hire an agency for the heavy lifting. Too often companies imagine they want PR to address a certain issue or achieve a goal, but they’ve failed to consider how they will best support the agency in their efforts.

For example, is the company ready to share their message and tell their story? Have they considered the impact not only to the market or to sales, but also to their internal business? Are all of the major stakeholders on board, and are they in agreement on the focus and desired results? Who is the agency’s day-to-day contact, and does that individual have the necessary decision-making authority to reply quickly? Does the company have a clear understanding of how PR can impact sales, recruitment, investor interest and any other major business initiatives?

If you’re talking to a company who seems to struggle with the above, or if your contact expresses concern about other stakeholders and their ability to be helpful or supportive of PR initiatives, think carefully about whether this is an environment where you can produce successful results.

How to avoid this? It’s hard to always know upfront whether an infrastructure is well suited to support a PR program, and sometimes it takes months to discover just how chaotic a company’s internal processes are. A clear line of authority and responsiveness is crucial, however, and should be communicated early on by the agency, especially when senior executives are involved in bringing the agency on as a partner. A company unable to respond effectively – and in a timely manner – will most likely find they are simply not prepared to build a strong, results-driven PR program.

3. Unreasonable expectations

This is always a tricky area for PR professionals to navigate. It’s natural to want to promise your client the moon when trying to win new business, but this only sets up the relationship with false expectations and, ultimately, broken promises.

Fruitful agency-client relationships are built on honest and realistic promises. The most successful clients are those who recognize that a proper PR strategy is “a marathon, and not a sprint”. It’s easy to fall prey to the trap of over promising in order to seal the deal, however it is far better to tell your clients the truth and set realistic expectations during the courting phase of new business, rather than spread false sunshine and fail to deliver.

Red flags to look for include:

• If your client is solely focused on media hits, with outlandish expectations of top tier coverage no matter the value of their news;
• If your client insists on a short term project with little room to build a strong foundation or establish solid relationships on their behalf;
• If your client wants every bell and whistle imaginable, but only wants to pay for the basics; or
• If your client sees only one strategy as effective (typically media hits) and fails to understand the value of a multi-pronged PR approach.

Most problematic about a client with unrealistic expectations is that the agency can come off looking like it failed to meet deliverables, when the reality is the deliverables never made sense in the first place.

How to avoid this? Stand your ground. If there is one thing I’ve learned over the course of my career it is to value the expertise I bring to the table. The client knows his or her business, and I would not presume to tell them how to manage their company. We know PR however, and while it’s always a good idea to be open to advice, suggestions and constructive criticism, I’ve learned not to let a client dictate to me how our team should do the work. Clients do not hire us to be their ‘yes (wo)men’; they hire us to deliver the level of insight and expertise they need. The best clients listen to your advice, respect your opinion and then make their decisions. Whether you agree or disagree with those choices, that’s still a relationship you can build on.

Terminating a bad client relationship can feel like failure, even when you’ve tried everything you can. Rather than thinking about the loss of one client, consider the value in placing your talents and team members where both are appreciated and where they can best thrive. Those relationships are the ones which will yield the most success, and those working environments are where you will build your reputation for long term success.

Natalee Gibson
Managing Director



Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: Three Signs It’s Time to Terminate a Bad Client Relationship

November 16, 2018

Like any good relationship, as an agency we never start working with a new client imagining in the end it will fail. If you’ve been around the PR block long enough, however, you will find yourself facing the inevitable post-mortem evaluation of a client relationship gone sour.

Unfortunately, agencies sometimes find themselves on the losing end of this equation whether warranted or not. It’s easy to blame the vendor and allow them to bear the brunt of the failed engagement, or to imagine if they had only delivered something more, or something different, the relationship would have succeeded.

Certainly, agencies sometimes fail to meet their deliverables. This doesn’t always equate to an unsuccessful relationship, however, any more than crossing off every KPI equates to blissful symbiosis. Far more than measuring metrics, the value of a client-agency relationship lies in matching up philosophies and fostering trusted communication, where both sides take an active interest and a responsibility for successes and failures.

Over nearly 20 years of building productive, long term relationships and enjoying many repeat clients, we’ve learned a thing or two about how to make a partnership work. Along the way, we’ve also witnessed a few red flags that almost always equate to a problematic client-agency relationship. We’ve also learned some tips in navigating them to avoid the unpleasant ending. 

1. No follow through

The life of a PR strategist is one of the never-ending chase. We’re accustomed to chasing down details, chasing down results, chasing the media and, often, chasing our clients. We also spend a significant part of our time chasing new business leads. We don’t mind having to chase when first introduced to a prospective client, as it takes a bit of follow through to spark that initial relationship.

Prospective clients who require multiple contacts before they will reply however, should raise a big red flag for any agency. Will it be hard to track down necessary information once you’re engaged in a partnership? Will you miss crucial deadlines due to lack of response? Do they value your time as much as they value their own? A sign of mutual business respect goes a long way in determining whether this match-up can produce real results.

How to avoid this? Set clear expectations from the start about what is expected from the client and what the agency will deliver. Be crystal clear about when follow up needs to happen, and if a deadline is missed as a result, be gentle but firm in explaining why. Don’t be afraid to include requirements for client actions in a new contract. If a lack of follow through necessitates walking away from business, know you are doing the best you can to avoid unfulfilled expectations and potential frustrations for you and your team.

2. Chaotic infrastructure

Interestingly, this isn’t just an issue for startups. A company of any size has to be prepared to effectively manage a PR strategy, even if they hire an agency for the heavy lifting. Too often companies imagine they want PR to address a certain issue or achieve a goal, but they’ve failed to consider how they will best support the agency in their efforts.

For example, is the company ready to share their message and tell their story? Have they considered the impact not only to the market or to sales, but also to their internal business? Are all of the major stakeholders on board, and are they in agreement on the focus and desired results? Who is the agency’s day-to-day contact, and does that individual have the necessary decision-making authority to reply quickly? Does the company have a clear understanding of how PR can impact sales, recruitment, investor interest and any other major business initiatives?

If you’re talking to a company who seems to struggle with the above, or if your contact expresses concern about other stakeholders and their ability to be helpful or supportive of PR initiatives, think carefully about whether this is an environment where you can produce successful results.

How to avoid this? It’s hard to always know upfront whether an infrastructure is well suited to support a PR program, and sometimes it takes months to discover just how chaotic a company’s internal processes are. A clear line of authority and responsiveness is crucial, however, and should be communicated early on by the agency, especially when senior executives are involved in bringing the agency on as a partner. A company unable to respond effectively – and in a timely manner – will most likely find they are simply not prepared to build a strong, results-driven PR program.

3. Unreasonable expectations

This is always a tricky area for PR professionals to navigate. It’s natural to want to promise your client the moon when trying to win new business, but this only sets up the relationship with false expectations and, ultimately, broken promises.

Fruitful agency-client relationships are built on honest and realistic promises. The most successful clients are those who recognize that a proper PR strategy is “a marathon, and not a sprint”. It’s easy to fall prey to the trap of over promising in order to seal the deal, however it is far better to tell your clients the truth and set realistic expectations during the courting phase of new business, rather than spread false sunshine and fail to deliver.

Red flags to look for include:

• If your client is solely focused on media hits, with outlandish expectations of top tier coverage no matter the value of their news;
• If your client insists on a short term project with little room to build a strong foundation or establish solid relationships on their behalf;
• If your client wants every bell and whistle imaginable, but only wants to pay for the basics; or
• If your client sees only one strategy as effective (typically media hits) and fails to understand the value of a multi-pronged PR approach.

Most problematic about a client with unrealistic expectations is that the agency can come off looking like it failed to meet deliverables, when the reality is the deliverables never made sense in the first place.

How to avoid this? Stand your ground. If there is one thing I’ve learned over the course of my career it is to value the expertise I bring to the table. The client knows his or her business, and I would not presume to tell them how to manage their company. We know PR however, and while it’s always a good idea to be open to advice, suggestions and constructive criticism, I’ve learned not to let a client dictate to me how our team should do the work. Clients do not hire us to be their ‘yes (wo)men’; they hire us to deliver the level of insight and expertise they need. The best clients listen to your advice, respect your opinion and then make their decisions. Whether you agree or disagree with those choices, that’s still a relationship you can build on.

Terminating a bad client relationship can feel like failure, even when you’ve tried everything you can. Rather than thinking about the loss of one client, consider the value in placing your talents and team members where both are appreciated and where they can best thrive. Those relationships are the ones which will yield the most success, and those working environments are where you will build your reputation for long term success.