PR Week - what clients really think

PR Week commissioned a piece to see what clients think of PR agencies and the answers were not too reassuring to say the least:

• More than a quarter claimed their agencies failed to deliver set objectives
• Nearly 70% did not provide transparent budgeting
• Nearly a quarter claimed they were not getting value for money
• Industry knowledge was also a criticism although this can be learnt

Directors signing up new clients, disappearing and returning when the contract is up for renewal is one more gripe that was high on the list of clients' complaints.

While there is two sides to any story, it makes worrying reading. Not every relationship will work and you have to factor in the clients' input or not in working with the agency.

On a more positive note, essentials in making PR work for clients are catering to individual needs and ways of working, trust and accountability.

PR agencies meet clients expectations on four out of the eight factors stated:

• Communicate satisfactorily
• Provide the right level of resource
• Deliver at consistently high quality levels
• Take a proactive role in identifying needs

One important piece of advice was to have those difficult conversations at the start of a contract about expectations and ways or getting the most from a PR spend.