News

Pitch doctor Woolley – agencies are promising more senior time than they can deliver

Pitch consultant Darren Woolley has warned that agencies are offering to throw in the time of senior members of staff for free in order to win accounts, although the promise sometimes cannot be kept.  

In a post on the Trinity P3 blog, Woolley said:

“In the past year or so I have noticed agencies putting forward remuneration proposals that provide senior agency resources at significantly discounted prices – FREE!

“It is seen as a discount. But experience shows that often the resources you don’t pay for, you don’t get.

“Very recently an agency proposed 15% of a Managing Director (Yes, the MD should be in the retainer) and 30% of the Head of Strategy at no cost.”

Woolley warned that in such circumstances a client rarely gets the management time it has been promised.

He said: “From personal knowledge, the Head of Strategy was already committed by almost 120% on other client agreements so the extra 30% means he would need to work solid 48 hour weeks with no holidays, public holidays, sick days or any non-billable work.”

Although  Woolley did not specify which pitch he was referring to, Carat CEO Peter Barrie recently suggested that Mediacom’s strategy chief Mat Baxter was over-committed. After losing IAG (a pitch which P3 oversaw) to Mediacom, Barrie told B&T: “Mediacom have caught up a bit on strategy. It’s hats off to Mat Baxter. He’s committed 75% of his time to those two clients. I’m not sure how one person can spend 75% of their time on two clients and lead strategy at an agency. I find that interesting, that’s all I’ll say on that.”

Mediacom CEO Toby Jenner told Mumbrella that Barrie’s comment had been wrong. He pointed out that as agencies often get part of their remuneration based on performance, if they did not deliver the management time promised, then they would not receive their remuneration.

Jenner said: “People  may speculate but they do not have the facts.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Get the latest media and marketing industry news (and views) direct to your inbox.

Sign up to the free Mumbrella newsletter now.

 

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up to our free daily update to get the latest in media and marketing.