“Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients. – Richard Branson
Agency life moves fast. DEADLINES. I NEED IT NOW. ANSWER THE PHONE. REPLY RIGHT AWAY (to all 100 emails in your inbox). Negotiate. Negotiate again. Check the spends. We need the reports ASAP.
The hours are sometimes long, and the pressure can be immense.
When I say employees first, I don’t mean only working 20 hours a week and being coddled. In the agency business, we are in the customer service industry. If we want our clients to feel taken care of and appreciated, we need to do the same for our employees.
Treat your employees the way you want your customers to be treated. The culture you provide will permeate through everything your employees do including working with the clients that keep you in business.
Set Expectations
People can’t read minds. Tell people what you need and when you need it by so you’re not disappointed and you don’t miss deadlines.
Appreciate your employees
Remember to say Thank you. and Please. Say that too.
Provide Resources
Set people up for success. Provide training, industry literature, new programs etc. Invest in your employees.
Empower employees
This is important. Empower people to make decisions. Empowered employees will learn to make decisions to do what it takes for the clients.
Effectively communicate
Don’t be late for meetings and respect people’s time. Ask lots of questions. Ask people if they’re happy. Ask them if they would change anything. Learn about your employees.
Create a dynamic environment
Always strive for continuous improvement. Provide a fun environment with open workspaces to encourage growth and sharing of knowledge and experience. Everyone can learn something new every day. Take time to teach your employees what you know. Learn from each other. Encourage collaborative thinking, not just for the betterment of your clients’ business but the agency as well.
Respect employees
Listen to them. Really listen.
LEAD by example
Share your visions and your values. Here at BLM we always encourage each other. We share victory and defeats as a team. We believe showing up on time is really important. We always answer the phone. We will constantly look in the mirror and if we don’t like what we see, we will change. Above all else, we will work to provide a positive financial future for our clients AND all of the employees.
A lot happens in one single day at an agency. You have to look in lots of different directions. You have to take deep breaths. Your employees are who make the world go round. Allow them to make mistakes… and learn from them. Employees should come first. Just as the customers do. One big collaborative happy successful family.