Working within an agency on a large client often brings the need to work within an agency village. These villages generally come about from different agencies having different specialisations and the client trying to tap into the best of the best to deliver on their marketing goals.

Such is the case for a range of clients here at Orchard and one such client has given me the opportunity to work within and learn from their village. For my large client, Orchard takes the role of Digital partner, and we get to work alongside other creative, media and performance partners to get the work done!

I have been a part of this agency village for 3+ years and have seen it change, adapt and deliver along the way. So, what have I learnt from being within this agency village?

Learning #1: Communication & Collaboration is key

In an agency village it is natural that many different priorities and deadlines are occurring simultaneously. This will inherently stretch all the teams focuses day-to-day. How do we combat this? The age-old ‘communication’ tactic is the answer!

For the village I work within, I have my key contacts across the agencies and as I check in with my internal teams, I extend this to those contacts as well. From deliverables to status check ins and general queries, we have built a regular cadence of communication that helps us all ensure we are on point for our clients and tackling any obstacles along the way.

It is also this regular communication that allows a foundation for trust and recognition of each other’s strengths. This then evolves to collaboration being brought on between the village agencies and tends to bring on some of the best and unified work.   

Learning #2: Learn from one another

Working within an agency village, and embracing it, has allowed me to learn a lot that I wouldn’t have the opportunity to if I just stayed within my own four walls.

It would be so easy to just stick to my own remit, but I have found that asking ‘why,’ when another agency team is coming forward with their ideas, is worth way more in the long run. In my time working within different agency villages, it has allowed me to better act as consultant, brainstorm or troubleshoot more effectively and to just generally gain new industry knowledge.

Also, by being open to learn from others it has intrinsically led to me teaching others a thing or two as well. Hence, giving me the opportunity to hone and test my skillset all at the same time.
And let’s face it learning and developing is invaluable within an agency and I highly recommend this way of doing it!

Learning #3: Define Roles & Responsibilities

With this one I am not speaking about “you look after UX, and you look after paid media” as this should already been defined by your contracts and subsequent remits. What I am speaking about here is when you are on a collective project and the ‘next steps’ are established - defining those roles and responsibilities. This definition can include items like;

• Who will chase the client if a deliverable is missing
• Who is scheduling the next regroup
• Who is taking and sending those follow up notes
• Who owns the development of that deck you just spoke about etc.

Initially, it can be awkward, but if you work on and develop that good line of communication mentioned earlier, it will become natural and just a part of your processes when signing off a presentation, closing out a regroup or similar. It will also help ensure that it isn’t always the same agency team or person doing the same task as it should naturally shift with the ownership of the key deliverables – so that’s another win!

Overall, this may seem simple, but it is often the simplest things that get overlooked. if you ensure this is done it will set you, as an agency team, up for success - it eliminates confusion, further fosters teamwork and ensures there is no double up in those comms sent to the client.

Learning #4: Have Agency to Agency only time

Not every call or meeting should have the clients included. It is important that there is time where it is just the agencies speaking to one another. No, I am not saying this so you can have a vent session about the client. Rather it gives the opportunity for the agencies to discuss the ‘behind the scenes’ aspects openly, validate collective concerns, align on projects prior to going to the client and so forth.

An agency village needs to work like a team and in order to do this they need to have their version of an “internal regroup”. In fact, it is some of the agency only meetings where I have seen the best ideas come from and have enjoyed the most - even when it’s been a simple WIP.

So, make sure you are booking in this proactive time and the rewards do outweigh the effort to “have another meeting”.

Learning #5: Take time to have fun!

I cannot stress this learning enough! Take the time to have fun within your agency village.
I have seen this occur in all manner of formats and all have helped to reinforce and further build on that relationship you will need to best work all together.

‘Fun’ can range from end of year drinks together to a chat channel where you share memes to simply taking an interest in what they are doing on the weekend and having those more general chats.

You are all doing a lot of fast paced and considerably involved work so take that moment to break out of work mode and have a moment of fun together – please? Overall, I encourage everyone that if you can be a part of an agency village to embrace it!
It’ll not only be a benefit for yourself and your agency but also for your client – so it’s a win-win-win!

Written By: Pelin Gallard - Senior Account Director.