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<p>PREFACE xi</p> <p><b>1 CHOOSING AN AGENCY 3</b></p> <p>Preparing for the Search as a Candidate 4</p> <p>Why Do You Want to Leave? 4</p> <p>What Do You Enjoy/Dislike about Your Job? 5</p> <p>What Sort of Person Are You at Work? 5</p> <p>What Sort of People Do/Don’t You Get on With? 6</p> <p>What Do You Think of Your Current Agency Culture and Style? 7</p> <p>Where Do You Want to Be in Five Years’ Time? 7</p> <p>What Position Are You Looking For? 7</p> <p>How Have You Made a Difference in Your Current Job? 8</p> <p>What Type of Agency Environment Are You Looking For? 8</p> <p>How to Work with a Recruitment Consultant 9</p> <p>As an Employer 9</p> <p>As a Candidate 11</p> <p>How to Prepare Yourself Mentally and Physically for the Interview 12</p> <p>Before the Interview 12</p> <p>During the Interview 13</p> <p>After the Interview 15</p> <p>How Agencies Could Improve Their Interview Process 15</p> <p>Before the Interview 16</p> <p>The Interview 17</p> <p>Unacceptable Questions 19</p> <p>Selecting a Candidate 20</p> <p>Making an Offer 20</p> <p>Selecting an Agency 20</p> <p><b>2 STARTING TO WORK WITH A NEW CLIENT TEAM 25</b></p> <p>How the Agency Can Ease the Induction Process 26</p> <p>Not so Unusual First-Day Howlers 29</p> <p>Starting off on the Right Foot 29</p> <p>Doing Homework on Your New Client(s) 29</p> <p>Your First Few Weeks 30</p> <p>Getting Organized 32</p> <p>How You Can Help Your Team and Clients to Work with You Better 37</p> <p><b>3 THE DAY-TO-DAY RELATIONSHIP 43</b></p> <p>What Clients Want 44</p> <p>Managing the Client Relationship during Campaigns 49</p> <p>Producing an Effective Creative Briefing 51</p> <p>Creative Presentations to Clients 54</p> <p>Managing Problems with a Creative Concept 58</p> <p>Moving Concepts Effectively to Campaign Execution 60</p> <p>Effective Campaign Communication with Internal Departments and Clients 62</p> <p>Working with the Creative Product 63</p> <p><b>4 CLIENT SATISFACTION 69</b></p> <p>The Value of Focusing on Client Satisfaction 70</p> <p>Customer Orientation 71</p> <p>Instituting a Satisfaction Review Process 75</p> <p>Improving Satisfaction through Performance 79</p> <p><b>5 MASTERING THE MOMENT 83</b></p> <p>Managing Difficult Situations 84</p> <p>Exploiting Excellent Situations 94</p> <p>Extending the Honeymoon Period 94</p> <p>Extending the Success of a Campaign 95</p> <p>Improving Your Presentations 95</p> <p>Getting Involved in Pitches 98</p> <p><b>6 LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF 105</b></p> <p>Being the Master of Your Own Destiny 106</p> <p>Setting Your Own Goals 109</p> <p>Enhancing Your Performance Appraisal Process 110</p> <p>How an Agency Can Maximize Personal Career Development 112</p> <p><b>7 TAKING CARE OF THE FINANCES 129</b></p> <p>The Principles of Running Campaigns Cost-Effectively 129</p> <p>Campaign Budgeting 131</p> <p>Securing Costs from Third Parties 134</p> <p>Preparing an Estimate 134</p> <p>Monitoring Costs 137</p> <p>Invoicing the Client 138</p> <p>Understanding a Campaign Financial Report 140</p> <p>Reconciling Campaign Financials 144</p> <p>Understanding an Account’s Financial Metrics 144</p> <p>Agency Profit and Loss 144</p> <p>Time Utilization/Billability 146</p> <p>Work-in-Progress Analysis 147</p> <p>Debtor Analysis 148</p> <p>Budgeting and Forecasting 148</p> <p><b>8 STEPPING UP AND OUT 153</b></p> <p>Spotting Your Next Destination 154</p> <p>Removing the Obstacles of Hard Work and Stress 158</p> <p>Five Myths about Hard Work 158</p> <p>Managing Stress 161</p> <p>Equipping Yourself Well 164</p> <p>Moving from Managing to Leading 167</p> <p>EPILOGUE 175</p> <p>REFERENCES 177</p> <p>USEFUL INFORMATION SOURCES 179</p> <p>ABOUT THE AUTHOR 181</p> <p>INDEX 183</p>

<b>Mike Sims</b> is Client Services Partner at Partners Andrews Aldridge, London UK. He is responsible for agency resourcing and overall agency delivery to clients. He has worked in both big and small agencies and has been involved in all areas of account handling, heading large and small client services departments. Since his arrival at Partners they have become the first agency to secure Campaign Direct Agency of the Year, the DMA Grand Prix and Precision Marketing Agency of the Year at the same time.<br /> His sector experience covers automotive, telecoms, IT and financial services. He has worked on traditional and digital campaigns, consumer and b2b brands, and has led pan-European accounts.<br /> Prior to working in agencies he was a teacher and worked in training and development in the marketing industry.

<i>Agency Account Handling</i> strives to distinguish between good account handling and great account handling. <p>This book will help you understand the wider picture of client servicing, give you satisfied customers and allow you to go home at night with a smile on your face. In reality it may not avoid all the 'blood, sweat and tears' but it will certainly reduce them to a manageable level.</p> <p>Good account handlers know instinctively most of the principles associated with effective client servicing. What results in great account handling is the difference an individual makes, all those little agency touches that add up to a competitive advantage and, essentially, the decision by an individual to concentrate on the right mix of priorities which will produce the most effective results.</p> <p>It should inspire people to strive for satisfied clients, fulfilled professional lives and strong client service departments.</p> <p>"This book is a beacon for account handlers, giving insight, confidence and experience, whether you read it cover to cover or dip into relevant sections.<br /> It shines a light on the path to success for burgeoning careers and wily old dogs alike."<br /> —Steve Aldridge, Creative Partner, Partners Andrews Aldridge</p> <p>"Indispensable! A soup-to-nuts analysis of all aspects of account management. A must for any ambitious account handler, from any discipline, who wants to further their career."<br /> —Suki Thompson, Managing Director, The Haystack Group</p> <p>"There is much to recommend Mike's book. First, it fills a gap in the market. I haven't come across anything on <u>great</u> account handling practice, previously. Second, it has terrific depth <u>and</u> breadth. But what makes Mike's book really special is that it is a book to learn from. Having worked with Mike a lot over the last five years I know that he knows his stuff. What I hadn't realised is that he has a rare gift for imparting his stuff in the infectious way that is a pleasure to learn from."<br /> —Malcolm White, Executive Planning Director, Euro RSCG London</p>

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