Evaluating chemistry between agency and client - it's all about the fit

The Independent Agency Search and Selection Agency (IAS) is the only intermediary company in the South Africa which includes a chemistry session into the pitch process and uses it as part of the elimination process up to final pitch stage.

Preceded by an evaluation of credentials, the IAS' chemistry evaluation session, if successful, is followed by the, hopefully, breath-taking final pitch.

Johanna McDowell

Four areas of assessment

IAS clients are asked to score four areas on the "first date" chemistry assessment session.

Firstly, they need to assess how they rated their introduction to the agency and its staff, considering their roles and responsibilities and level of interaction and quality of engagement.

Secondly, we ask for the client to rate the level of team work they noticed amongst the agency's team during the session. Did it look like they had relied on each other as team members in preparing for the chemistry session itself?

Thirdly, and even more importantly, we point them towards assessing their comfort with the financial contracts the agency proposes. Would it be based on a retainer for example and what combination of costs and mark ups do they propose?

Lastly, we ask them to score their sense of gut level interest in working with the agency in the immediate, and foreseeable, future. Is there a sense of excitement, underscored by sensing oneself to be in safe hands?

Culture of an organisation

Sometimes it's the smallest things that matter. Did the agency think about where to seat everyone? Did they communicate equally with everyone on the clients' team, or leave out the procurement manager because they thought he isn't pertinent to creative?

How were their questions to you as client? Did their questions show insight and thought? And how were their answers to your questions? Could they satisfactorily answer questions at the level from which you asked them?

These are the kinds of indicators that say what no words can. As relationship experts well know, it can be the most subtle of behaviours that clearly indicate the true culture of an organisation. One's reaction to that culture, when made conscious, indicates how likely it is there will be a satisfying long term match.