Your opinion of this blog may be different if you are working for a "client" versus an "agency," as your perspective I fear will be based on your role and background. Let's take a look at the client - agency relationship and in particular, the behaviours of each party and how this neither does nor does not uphold their organisational values. This relationship is important because of its multi-faceted nature. One day I could be a supplier to your company, but the next day be one of your customers, thus it is imperative that your company values are translated equally to every stakeholder.
So what's my point?
As a supplier we respond to tenders and briefs from clients asking for our proposal to support a part of their organisation. Nearly every time, the brief will include details of the importance of company values: how we can deliver experiences that support the clients' values and how our values must be aligned to the clients' values. Now we all know that you cannot measure values, you measure behaviours that demonstrate those values. So why do some organisations still behave in a way that does not support the values they talk about? If they cannot behave in the right way, how do they expect their suppliers to behave in the right way? How do employees of that supplier feel about that organisation and would they, as a customer, be able to be loyal to that organisation? I feel that this is forgotten so many times and could so easily be rectified.
So here are my top tips for a great partnership between suppliers and clients:
- From the start don't just talk about values, demonstrate what this means in terms of behaviours. This does not start when you have signed a contract with a new supplier but from the very moment you meet, during the tender process and also if a contract has to be cancelled. The way these key stages are managed, says a lot about an organisation and the values it really has.
- Clients' HR and Marketing teams need to be spend time with your suppliers' employees when you roll out new customer campaigns or when you refresh your values
- Reward suppliers not just on achievement of financial targets but on demonstrating those behaviours that support your values
So are your views - if you are a client, how do you feel this could be improved? Alternatively, suppliers, what are your thoughts - where has this worked well and why?
Image: iQoncept /Shutterstock
