They’re Just Not That Into You: Why Client Relationships Don’t Always Last
They’re Just Not That Into You: Why Client Relationships Don’t Always Last
It’s easy to think that great work is what keeps clients around. But much like any other relationship, it’s not all about what you do, but how you make clients feel.
Verity Relationship Intelligence’s panel, They’re Just Not That Into You: Why Client Relationships Don’t Always Last, explored this dynamic in detail, unpacking the importance of communication, honesty and how agencies can build relationships that make it out of the honeymoon phase.
Hosted at Empower Café at Cannes Lions, the panel was chaired by The Subthread Editor, Hannah Bowler and featured:
- Claire Hollands, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi
- Olivia Blairman, Managing Director (UK) at Coolr
- Emma Hillary, Head of Growth & Marketing at Verity Relationship Intelligence
Beyond Deliverables: Remembering What Matters
The session was grounded in an important insight from Verity Relationship Intelligence’s Relationship Report – out of 91 attributes, work ranks only number 30 in its power to drive high client satisfaction ratings.
The panel’s reaction to this was unambiguous: work is table stakes, but how it gets done matters just as much.
“It’s about creating the right conditions for success,” noted Claire Hollands, who also emphasised that part of this is about getting a strategy in place to help shape stronger briefs and therefore set clearer expectations.
Olivia Blairman doubled down on this point. “For us, it’s all about having the strategy up front. Once you have it built, you can reevaluate every quarter depending on performance.”
Meanwhile, Emma Hillary drew a parallel between client relationships and romantic ones, arguing that volatility and by extension, consistency is what builds relationships that last, not work.
Emma went on to caution agencies to monitor small issues, such as timeliness and operational detail, that can slowly undermine a relationship.
“Like any marriage, no one gets divorced because you stacked the dishwasher wrong. But these problems compound.”
Relationship or Situationship? The Key to Long-Term Commitment
In the agency world today, there tends to be a focus on the day-to-day and the transactional over the relationship. However, the key to developing long-lasting relationships is to think and plan for the future.
For Claire, this means making time for important conversations. “The urgent drives the wheel, but you can’t let go of what’s important. Always consider what needs to happen over the next 6-12 months.”
It’s also about evolving and growing together. “The best relationships come with time and love… Often, what you first contracted doesn’t remain the same, so it’s important to consistently evaluate what’s working and what’s not. The honeymoon phase can’t last forever”, Claire concluded.
How To Avoid Communication Breakdowns
So, beyond a future-first mindset, what can agencies do to create strong relationships?
The panellists whole heartedly agreed on honesty and open dialogue.
Emma once again made the point that clients can rate the work but still acknowledge that it might’ve been a nightmare to get there. She argued that results aren’t always a silver bullet and that agencies need to double down on the fundamentals.
“We underestimate the power of understanding. Empathy maps your senior clients: ask how they are feeling, are they up for promotion, what’s important to them? Get under the skin of the relationship.”
Meanwhile Claire acknowledged the ability to be able to push back when disagreements or challenges arise.
“You have to tell them and the quicker, the better, because that’s how you avoid problems further down the track. I want to be liked, but I’m respected for my honesty.”
Olivia agreed, stressing the importance of empowering teams to believe in themselves and to remember why clients appointed them in the first place. “We’re not always going to be right, but we have the knowledge to push back”.
Need Some Relationship Advice?
The panellists closed the session with the advice they’d give to either an agency or client when building relationships.
Emma said: “It’s simple, it’s called feedback. Listen to it, ask for it, use it – don’t just sit on it.”
Olivia built on this, urging agencies to “pick up the phone if it’s not working, don’t wait for them to call you or put a meeting in the diary.”
Claire brought things full circle, recognising the long-term commitment it takes to build long-lasting relationships, summing it up simply: “Take time to invest in the relationship and let it grow.”
