The bigger the digital agency, the more expensive they are to work with. Makes sense, right? They’ve got hundreds, maybe thousands of salaries to pay each month. ‘Mouths to feed’, as they say.
Truth is, it doesn’t make sense for an agency to have a big payroll. The idea of ‘agency’ ought to be ‘agility’. Intellectual as well as operational, now, more than ever.
With a big payroll, billable utilisation is the top priority. When you have mouths to feed, it becomes increasingly difficult to offer unbiased recommendations. Every proposal is implicitly designed to keep bums off the bench.
In order to be truly, deeply client-centric a modern digital consulting business has to be nimble and most importantly, free of the often intense commercial pressure of a big headcount.
We should be able build specialist project teams quickly through a trusted network and disband them just as easily too. Not carry the burden. Own the outcome, not the people who help deliver it.
Because that delivers the most impartial, agnostic and focussed value to clients.
Because that reveals the most rewarding work.
Because that’s the true spirit of ‘agency’.
Big is best is an old fashioned idea. Let's get used to small is beautiful.
Comments