Comments on: Creative Agency http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/04/creative-agency/ Fri, 18 May 2012 12:31:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Whitney Hess http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/04/creative-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-637 Whitney Hess Thu, 08 May 2008 13:40:22 +0000 http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/?p=334#comment-637 <p>Alex, you mention clients "who would be receptive to the education," but what about clients who aren't? I have had several experiences with clients who firmly believe that they understand their customer, experience design, the creative process (when they do not), and put such rigid restrictions on the work that it becomes incredibly difficult for any consultant to produce.</p> <p>We believe we are the experts and we're being paid to do the work, but there are some clients that hire us purely for the tactical, technical ability to produce deliverables and nothing more -- they do not want input on strategy or approach, and the relationship that you describe becomes impossible.</p> <p>This puts the agent between a rock and a hard place. They want to best serve the client, but they also want to maintain the integrity of the consultant.</p> <p>As agents, how can we identify the lack of flexibility on the client's part during the initial phases so that together with the consultant we can ultimately decide if we're better off not taking the gig -- or be prepared to get resistance every step of the way? Are there warning signs? Does the value of the agent increase in his ability to recognize them?</p> Alex, you mention clients “who would be receptive to the education,” but what about clients who aren’t? I have had several experiences with clients who firmly believe that they understand their customer, experience design, the creative process (when they do not), and put such rigid restrictions on the work that it becomes incredibly difficult for any consultant to produce.

We believe we are the experts and we’re being paid to do the work, but there are some clients that hire us purely for the tactical, technical ability to produce deliverables and nothing more — they do not want input on strategy or approach, and the relationship that you describe becomes impossible.

This puts the agent between a rock and a hard place. They want to best serve the client, but they also want to maintain the integrity of the consultant.

As agents, how can we identify the lack of flexibility on the client’s part during the initial phases so that together with the consultant we can ultimately decide if we’re better off not taking the gig — or be prepared to get resistance every step of the way? Are there warning signs? Does the value of the agent increase in his ability to recognize them?

]]> By: Whitney Hess http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/04/creative-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-2102 Whitney Hess Thu, 08 May 2008 13:40:00 +0000 http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/?p=334#comment-2102 <p>Alex, you mention clients "who would be receptive to the education," but what about clients who aren't? I have had several experiences with clients who firmly believe that they understand their customer, experience design, the creative process (when they do not), and put such rigid restrictions on the work that it becomes incredibly difficult for any consultant to produce.</p> <p>We believe we are the experts and we're being paid to do the work, but there are some clients that hire us purely for the tactical, technical ability to produce deliverables and nothing more -- they do not want input on strategy or approach, and the relationship that you describe becomes impossible.</p> <p>This puts the agent between a rock and a hard place. They want to best serve the client, but they also want to maintain the integrity of the consultant.</p> <p>As agents, how can we identify the lack of flexibility on the client's part during the initial phases so that together with the consultant we can ultimately decide if we're better off not taking the gig -- or be prepared to get resistance every step of the way? Are there warning signs? Does the value of the agent increase in his ability to recognize them?</p> Alex, you mention clients “who would be receptive to the education,” but what about clients who aren’t? I have had several experiences with clients who firmly believe that they understand their customer, experience design, the creative process (when they do not), and put such rigid restrictions on the work that it becomes incredibly difficult for any consultant to produce.

We believe we are the experts and we’re being paid to do the work, but there are some clients that hire us purely for the tactical, technical ability to produce deliverables and nothing more — they do not want input on strategy or approach, and the relationship that you describe becomes impossible.

This puts the agent between a rock and a hard place. They want to best serve the client, but they also want to maintain the integrity of the consultant.

As agents, how can we identify the lack of flexibility on the client’s part during the initial phases so that together with the consultant we can ultimately decide if we’re better off not taking the gig — or be prepared to get resistance every step of the way? Are there warning signs? Does the value of the agent increase in his ability to recognize them?

]]> By: Alex Hillman http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/04/creative-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-636 Alex Hillman Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:20:36 +0000 http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/?p=334#comment-636 <p>Patrick, I completely agree that the challenge is in scaling that sort of operation without it being taken advantage of or being distorted. I don't know what the answer is, but I see our community in one of the best places to explore.</p> Patrick, I completely agree that the challenge is in scaling that sort of operation without it being taken advantage of or being distorted. I don’t know what the answer is, but I see our community in one of the best places to explore.

]]> By: Alex Hillman http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/04/creative-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-2101 Alex Hillman Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:20:00 +0000 http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/?p=334#comment-2101 <p>Patrick, I completely agree that the challenge is in scaling that sort of operation without it being taken advantage of or being distorted. I don't know what the answer is, but I see our community in one of the best places to explore.</p> Patrick, I completely agree that the challenge is in scaling that sort of operation without it being taken advantage of or being distorted. I don’t know what the answer is, but I see our community in one of the best places to explore.

]]> By: Patrick http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/04/creative-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-635 Patrick Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:14:43 +0000 http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/?p=334#comment-635 <p>Great post Alex. I share your sentiments but I also wonder how that fits with the feeling you've expressed before about "I'm not an agent damn it". People seemed to expect you to find them contractors and/or find them contracts. (not sure exactly what you meant, only random Twits ;) ).</p> <p>I understand you're talking here about a completely different, much more organic and giving perspective but I wonder how that can evolve to something else in distorted non open source minds and lead to unwanted expectations?</p> Great post Alex. I share your sentiments but I also wonder how that fits with the feeling you’ve expressed before about “I’m not an agent damn it”. People seemed to expect you to find them contractors and/or find them contracts. (not sure exactly what you meant, only random Twits ;) ).

I understand you’re talking here about a completely different, much more organic and giving perspective but I wonder how that can evolve to something else in distorted non open source minds and lead to unwanted expectations?

]]>