Poor Planning? Your Client Should Fire You.

It makes me crazy when I read things like this – the other day, I found this piece on Digitaria’s blog: When Good Ideas Get Expensive.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why the presented scenario was a surprise to the author. There were so many red flags it was like watching a horror movie…don’t open that door…!

A quick synopsis: The client wants a solution to solve their business challenges, the agency comes up with an awesome, integrated idea, the client loves it…

They start working on the project, THEN they find out that there are problems – here’s the list:
Talent ‘costs a fortune’
Animation is held up to find and hire a specialist
Image licensing is ‘outrageous’
Differences with SEO agency on an app for mobile

What? That list should have been fleshed-out before presentation…

So, the solutions were to be ‘transparent’:
Be honest with your client when you pitch the idea, like ‘budget uncertainties’
Renegotiate budget/timeline or scope
Admit mistakes and have a ‘worst case scenario’ in your back pocket

Okay, transparency = we didn’t actually figure out how we were going to get this done, but please give us more time/money to create awesome.

Sorry guys, but the issues in this scenario should have been researched well before the pitch and presented not as ‘budget uncertainties’. At all.

If you don’t know how you’re going to build your awesome solution to your client’s business challenge, then it’s time to learn your job.

And then, the solutions to the issues were abysmal. Transparency aside, it’s more than honesty – it’s about doing your homework and being realistic.

You should never, ever present a starry-eyed approach to a solution without hard data. And renegotiating budget, scope or timeline after commencing production is asking your client to be okay with to your lack of planning and research.

You have to learn how to provide accurate costs upfront because ‘budget uncertainties’ can (and will) completely undo the effectiveness and beauty of a ‘solution’. Further they can put your agency (and your vendors) at a significant loss – especially when you decide to ‘eat’ those costs because the awesomeness cannot be compromised.

And that worst case scenario? Your client fires you for your inability to deliver on a promise.​

When It's Time to Replace an Employee...or Go Clamming

                  ​Mo's clam chowder.

Yesterday’s post should have been titled “Happy as a Clam…” but those who are clam-like are hiding. They’re just waiting for the tide to move them on – or until someone skilled in spotting the tell-tale signs, equipped with a clam shovel, to dig ‘em up.

But just like when you go clamming, you have to include some cleanup.

What I mean is when you uncover that clam in your agency or department; you’ll most likely need to do the cleanup yourself.

That happened to me.

I was promoted to a position managing seven individuals who had varying levels of responsibility. One person had a very specific job, and she was the only one who performed it in our company.

I met with my new team, laid out goals and asked for their input on what a day in their work life looked like. I wanted to hear everything. I then met with each person individually.

Except for that one person. She was way too busy. Her desk was a wreck (think Milton’s desk in Office Space), and when I finally sat down and insisted that she give me the three-minute description of her job and challenges – she couldn’t.

I checked out her employee file and read her annual reviews. She consistently under-performed, was given specific goals which were never met, and was handed-off from manager to manager. In seven years she managed to keep her job – because no one wanted to take on figuring out what she did, or ways to correct it. She didn’t have the skills – or drive – to make changes herself. Neither did her past managers.

The biggest issue was that she had a position where significant amounts of money passed over her desk. Every month. We’re talking easily a million dollars a month. She had no system for tracking it, she just requested checks, sent them to her (one) vendor, then collected receipts, and said everything “checked-out fine”.

My concern was that she had no checks and balances for ensuring all monies were reconciled, and that she relied on one vendor to provide all receipts. Everything was accepted as accurate.

Further, an accounting had been requested from her for every year of those seven years. She never complied, and there were no consequences for failure to perform.

I finally planted myself at her desk and had her show me exactly what she did and documented it. Then provided her with what I needed from her, gave her a simple spreadsheet – a way to track outgoing cash and incoming receipts. She didn’t use it. She was too busy. We went through the required standard verbal and written warnings, and yet nothing changed. She had learned there were no consequences.

I gave her every opportunity to make it right, and even offered to dig in and help. She said she was was too busy to have me help.​

She was stunned when I let her go. 

Surprisingly, the vendor was unwilling to work with me to clean up the mess. They told me, “Everything was working just fine.”  I’m sure it was, but I couldn't follow the money. The vendor was fired. They too were stunned, as my company represented a big portion of their business.

I don’t believe there was anything going on other than a client and a vendor with extremely sloppy business practices. But I had to fix it.

Therein lies the problem. When you let someone go who is under-performing,  you may end up doing the work yourself.

Which is exactly what I did.

It took me six months and a temp to clear up seven full years of…zero accounting.

I didn't replace this gal. I didn't have to. Instead, I distributed the duties to each of the remaining staff – which was more appropriate since it actually closed the loop in their duties.

The lesson here is:
Once again, have a good process in place – one that is documented
Make sure your staff knows their job and that there are clear job descriptions
Watch out for clams – there may be more than one
Once you dig up your clams, prepare to do clean up

And by the way, here’s a a lovely little article about clamming in Oregon. And if you happen to make it to the Oregon coast, be sure to check out Mo’s for clam chowder.

Hiding Like a Clam or the Joy of Mediocrity

I read this piece in FastCompany yesterday about the worst-performing employees who are usually ‘happy as clams’, and it calls to mind the use of agency tools/technology/software to manage work.

One of the huge benefits of these tools is the ability to see all the work that has been assigned; and some tools provide deeper information on resource/capacity planning. So in an instant, you can review how busy everyone is – what they’re working on, how many hours they’re allocated by the day/week/month, vacations, etc.

Handy stuff. And in my experience, imperative for truly managing resources.

The flip-side – and I’ve experienced this too – is that employees can feel we’re watching or controlling them. Oh, please.

True. And not true. I am not Big Brother, and I’m certainly not your Mother. But I am here to make sure stuff gets done on time. That also means staying on budget as well as meeting the criteria of the brief.

What using these tools diligently will reveal is one of perception versus reality. Some people appear really busy, and don’t turn out a heck of a lot of work. Others just plow through one project after another.

And most of the time you cannot tell one from the other. Therefore you set expectations, and then you review the results.

As the article states:
"Mediocre performers can do a really good job of hiding under the surface. Most are experts at busywork, which they bury themselves in to appear busy.”

This isn’t spying, but rather getting a clear idea where every client (or agency) dollar is going.

And these tools reveal a world of other things as well. Is everyone an ace in Photoshop, Illustrator or html? Some are better (and faster) than others. There can be hardware or software issues that can bring even that ace to a grinding halt. Maybe they’re disorganized, or simply screwing around too much.

When time estimates (therefore budgets) are consistently blown, you need to investigate further. As a manager, it is your job to find out what’s going on – or your part of the problem. (More on that later…)

If you have a well-trained staff, have super hardware and software and some still can’t cut it, then it’s time to have a chat.

It could be something as simple as too many distractions – or perhaps they just don’t want to work all that hard and this is an easy paycheck. The clams. The ultimate in mediocrity.

Get organized, get on top of your projects and let the clams drift to a tide pool elsewhere. 

Define Process Before Deploying Agency Management Tools

I re-read this position paper on process by David Baker the other day and have to share it with you.

If you are considering (and you should) implementing agency management software/tools/technology to better manage your workflow, read David Baker’s paper. I haven’t met Mr. Baker, but truly admire his work – and he shares a lot of it on his website.

Any system, from a simple internal form and email to an integrated solution can be a time consuming waste without a process. Basic rules that everyone follows.

Process defines what tools you will use, who will use them, how they are used, the handoff and follow-up.

And compliance. From the top – down.

An investment in agency management technology can be expensive. Developing a solid process is insurance for your investment.

And if you’d like some help (re)defining your process, assistance on selecting the right technology fit, or just want to chat about how things are going in your agency or marketing department, contact me.

First call is free.​

You Can Have Any Stupid Opinion You Want

That’s what my Dad said to me, not in anger but in exasperation, when my sister and I were arguing about the war in Vietnam.

It holds true for just about any opinion about anything.

What Dad’s statement means to me is, yes I have an opinion, and in the Big Picture, it’s just plain irrelevant to anything or anyone – except me.

And yes, my opinions about Vietnam were really important. My sister had it all wrong.​

But opinions can be dangerous – if they spark a riot, sway the public as if it were fact, cause a divorce, or send you to a crappy restaurant.

Think about the origin of your opinions on anything. The type of music you like, what you wear, where you’ll be ‘seen’, how you vote. Are they originated in experience? A convincing argument? Research?

Until there is proof, we just have opinions.

And yes, they are stupid.​ Except for mine.

Saturday and Live Music

So my husband and I went out last night to see The Roxy Gunn Project.

There is a lot of live music in Las Vegas. On any given night you can go to a local bar and hear amazing music. Often that guy or gal just happened to be a session player on a hit record or toured for a few years with some platinum record holder.

The level of talent is awesome. Support for live music has really waned in this recession. And we all need a night out more than ever.

I love live music, and as I’m a bit ‘older’ I tend to listen to blues, classic rock and rockabilly. I always try to get out to catch Roxy – she’s a rocker, young, and the real deal.

The band is tight; they do awesome originals and just kill covers.

So do what I say: go out tonight and support live music in your city. If you’re heading to Vegas, check out The Roxy Gunn Project.

And be sure to put money in the tip jar.

Ageism in Agencies – Does it Exist?

There was a discussion in one of my LinkedIn Groups about age. Here’s the question and below that, my response:

"Q: At what age does a HR, CEO finds the candidate not employable? late 40s, 50s, 60s...be it creative, client servicing..."​

The idea of too old depends on HR and the hiring manager. HR usually vets incoming resumes for open positions; and if they’re worth their salt, also actively follows talent they would like on their team.

Age shouldn't be an issue. At all. But it is.

Just because someone is pushing 50, 60 or even 70, doesn't mean their talents are dusty and they are void of current knowledge.

The problem becomes one of perception. HR, the CEO or hiring manager may be well under 40, may not have experience working with someone ‘older’, and their idea of an individual in that age-range resembles their parents.

If a person in a position to hire has had the awesome experience of working their way up through an agency with a mentor who is in that age-range, they may consider hiring someone ‘that old’. A perceptual shift.

However, I’m seeing a lot of ‘hot, young agencies’ comprised of 20- 30- somethings who are successful – but the learning curve is steep. Lots of time and dollars wasted ‘re-inventing’ what the seasoned ‘ad man’ (and woman) already know. Bill Gates said, “Success is a lousy teacher.” He is right.

Buoyed with an experienced team member, the young shops can get where they want to go faster avoiding common pitfalls. This translates to more time to work on great creative, thus eliminating unnecessary costs in time and materials.

Ageism is alive in advertising. And actually, everywhere. Those of us over 40, or 50, or 60 have a lot of knowledge. And we’re ready to share.

So to answer your question: there is not a ‘too old’. An individual doesn't fit if their experience, skills and talent are not relevant to your needs.

What do you think? If you’re ‘over 40’ have you experienced shift in your ability to get hired in your field; regarded for insight or sought-out for opinion/advice?

If you are ‘under 40’ do you find those who are older are less or more creative, capable or relevant? Would you hire someone over 50 or 60?