Can we talk about how agencies always push for long contracts but never deliver on year one

Last month I signed a partnership with a mid-size agency out of Denver that bragged about their 3 year minimum commitments. I was hesitant but their pitch deck looked solid, you know? By week 6 they had swapped our account manager twice and missed every single deliverable deadline. I get that agencies need stability but why should I lock in for 36 months when they can't even keep a consistent point of contact for 60 days. Has anyone else found a way to negotiate shorter trial periods without scaring off the good agencies?

2 comments

2 Comments

xena37328d ago

Three consecutive weeks of missed deadlines in that first 60 days is insane. I mean, that sales pitch must have been really polished if they couldn't even fake it for a month.

hart.mark28d ago

Oh man, I used to be the person saying "just trust the process, the first year is always bumpy." I really thought long contracts showed commitment from both sides. But then I signed a 24 month deal with a shop that promised us a dedicated senior strategist (who was apparently a figment of their imagination) and spent the first 4 months training our third junior hire on basic reporting. It completely flipped my thinking. Now I insist on a 3 month out clause in every agreement, no exceptions. If they push back hard on that, it's usually a huge red flag that they know they can't deliver early.