The other week I had to get back to a rep with feedback as to why her prop wasn’t successful for a client brief. I said hi and that I hope she had a good weekend. The reason why she unfortunately didn’t get the brief was a combination of X,Y and Z. I thanked her for the time and effort that she put into the proposal, and that I would make sure to consider her again for the next appropriate client brief. The response I got was completely unexpected.
“Thank you SO much for the feedback. So many times you prop something out, pop it into your forecast and if it doesn’t come in it’s like trying to pull teeth trying to find out what wasn’t right in case there’s something you can do differently next time. I really do appreciate it!”
I couldn’t believe that something so simple had generated such a response. We work with these people every day, yet at times it can be so easy to take them and their work for granted. After we try to get through our TV buys, tracking, post analysis, last minute media schedules, your phone ringing off the hook, back-to-back daily meetings and trying to sift through 200+ new emails, the last thing you think of when finishing at 8 o’clock at night is following up with feedback or thank you emails.
If you really think about it, feedback and communication makes the world go round. It helps us enforce our strengths and improve on our weaknesses. Without it we would essentially become stagnant in our lives - we would get no motivation, no innovation and never be able to improve ourselves. We’ve all been in that position where we commit hours every week to pull together a report or presentation, and wonder if the client ever even looks at it. Do they appreciate the hard work we put into it or should we spend that time doing something else that they would find more valuable? The only answer to those questions is if you ask for feedback from your client, and only then can you improve your service.
Working in the communications industry (or any industry for that matter), it is essential to have the basics right. Client campaigns go through several sets of hands before we can even begin to start executing it. From the beginning of the briefing process through to strategy and implementation, it is essential to have the communication lines open every step of the way between client, agency, creative and publishers. Without the basics, there is no amount of expertise or ‘winging it’ that can save you if the communication between parties breaks down.
But it’s not all about the consequences. Respect for the people that you work with is a huge contributor in how you build your networks and relationships, and develop your reputation within the industry. We all recognise the power of word-of-mouth, with negative experiences spreading many times faster than positive ones. MediaCom's Taurean Coughlan wrote several weeks ago about “The Brand Called You” where he wrote about first impressions and the ability to build on your qualities that enable others to identify who you are and what you are capable of. While branding your own skill set and image is important, ensuring that you give your business partners the basic respect they deserve will ensure that your personal reputation far exceeds the four walls of your office.
Whether it’s writing a thank you card for a beautiful lunch, sending feedback to a publisher on their prop, replying to emails or returning phone calls, paying attention to these everyday basics may be easy to push down and forget on the do-to list, however they only take 10 minutes out of your entire day. If you really think about it, the 10 minute investment required to provide honest and open feedback might prove to be the most valuable thing you do in the long term, as it starts a butterfly effect that morphs into a positive lifetime reputation.
Bronwen Goodbar
Planner/Buyer
Initiative
THE ADNEWS NGEN BLOG: Feedback makes the world go round
22 October 2012