Fact or Friction?

Our account manager and our client are not seeing eye to eye and there is a lot of friction. The client wants to get as much as they can for nothing and the account manager needs to ensure they maximise return on the relationship and protect the agency. Something's got to give or we might lose the account and it is quite big - help!

You have two things going on and it is easy to confuse the two and just solve one, leaving the other to fester. In essence you have a chemistry issue between the account handler and the client but more importantly your client seems to be under a misapprehension about your cost basis. The former might be as a result of the latter but you won’t know until you solve the cost issue.

You are right – something has to give (and it could be the account) so I would suggest that you understand why the client wants to “get as much as they can for nothing”. In my experience, clients like this one either do not appreciate the basis of the remuneration structure (another client created it and is the only one who understands the agreed thinking behind it) or they feel you are too expensive or “ripping them off” so they want to get as much as they can for their – in their minds – overinflated fees. Whichever mindset, you need to take quick action and get this client on side by understanding their perspective. Give them a call and meet up for a chat about the costs, how the projects are going. It may be the opportunity to understand the personality issues, reinforce the cost basis and see if you are coming over as too expensive. Once you know what is really driving the issues, you can then make a decision re your account handler staying on the business.