How a new head of client services impacts the agency, with Emily Brown & Matt Loughlin
Oct 22, 2024
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Emily Brown, Client Services Director at Receptional, has over 12 years of experience and previously worked at IPG Media Brands. Joining her is Matt Loughlin, Partner and Commercial Director with 16.5 years in the field. Together, they delve into the transformative role of a head of client services, sharing insights from Emily's impressive first 90 days and the significant impact on the agency's operations. They discuss evolving client service strategies, the shift towards accountability within teams, and the importance of networking in enhancing client relationships.
Hiring a head of client services can transform agency operations by centralizing efforts and enhancing client-centric practices.
The first 90 days for a new CSD are critical for assessing and improving account management processes to foster better client relationships.
Clients now seek proactive engagement and strategic insights from agencies, demanding innovative solutions and the integration of AI into services.
Deep dives
The Importance of a Client Services Director
Hiring a client services director (CSD) can significantly impact an agency's operations, especially if there is currently no dedicated account management team. The agency faced challenges as it grew, such as inconsistent client communications and siloed teams, which hindered client satisfaction and retention rates. The decision to hire a CSD was aimed at addressing these challenges by centralizing client service efforts and establishing a more client-centric culture. This strategic move allowed the agency to better engage with clients and ensure consistent processes across different service teams.
Key Changes in the First 90 Days
In the first 90 days, a crucial part of a new CSD's role involves assessing and auditing current account management processes, identifying what can be improved. Establishing basic communication standards and ensuring that the right questions are asked during client interactions is essential for creating strong foundations. The focus should be on simplifying processes while fostering better relationships with clients through regular communication and reporting. By ensuring that each client has a dedicated contact, the CSD can enhance client satisfaction and start refining the agency's overall service approach.
Transformational Business Impact
The implementation of a dedicated client services function has been transformational for the agency, leading to increased revenue and improved employee retention rates. The agency shifted from a loose contract structure to having 99% of revenue contracted long-term, providing both stability and certainty. Regular quarterly reviews enhanced the relationship between the agency and its clients, providing structured touchpoints for discussion and strategy updates. This newfound client-centric focus has created a culture of accountability within the agency, with both staff and clients seeing substantial improvements in their relationships.
Proactive Client Engagement
Clients increasingly desire proactive engagement from their agencies, looking for insights and strategies that go beyond basic service delivery. This includes providing market research and insights that help clients navigate their internal team dynamics and drive better marketing consistency. Agencies are now supporting clients by facilitating collaborative sessions that bring different teams together, effectively streamlining communication and strategy development. Such initiatives make it easier for clients to align their marketing efforts and justifies additional budget requests for various campaigns.
Adapting to Current Trends
Current trends indicate that clients are looking for more strategic insights and creative solutions from their agencies in times of uncertainty. They want to be informed about their competitive landscape, requesting data that helps them stay ahead of competitors, particularly in challenging environments. Additionally, there is a strong demand for agencies to integrate AI into their strategies, which has become a hot topic of discussion among clients. By staying ahead of these trends and offering innovative solutions, agencies can solidify their position as valuable partners rather than just vendors.
Welcome to episode 124. This will be particularly interesting for you if you want to know how much the head of client services role can impact the agency's business.
Listen in if you don’t currently have a client services team and you're perhaps thinking about having one, or your client services function isn't performing as you'd like it to and you're exploring options for perhaps bringing in a head of department. Or maybe you are the client services director in your agency and are curious to understand how someone else in this role operates. Emily Brown and Matt Loughlin joined me today from digital marketing agency, Receptional.
I met Emily when she was just a few months into joining the agency and I've been very lucky to have the opportunity of working with her in my Account Accelerator programme, and that means I've been working with her for almost a year. This conversation reflects on what she's achieved as the new head of client service.
Here are the key themes that we cover during our chat:
· why the agency decided in the first place to hire a head of client service
· Emily's first 90 days in the role, and how she pinpointed and tackled the key priorities and established herself with the team
· the impact this CSD role has had on the agency's operations team and clients just 16 months later
· and the learnings from both Matt and Emily's perspective of establishing this new role in the agency that hopefully you can benefit from in your agency.
They share lots of detailed tips and examples that I'm sure you're going to find useful.
You can connect with Emily and Matt here: https://www.receptional.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-brown-5073993a/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattloughlin/
If you'd like to discuss training and coaching for your client-facing account management team, then you can book a no obligation call with me via my website: https://www.accountmanagementskills.com. You’ll be able to see the different training options I have available, from self-study to long term coaching, and also sign up for my regular newsletter.
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