Know-How Exchange : Strategy

Appeal DIRECTLY to the CEO.

Request that the person you're dealing with be removed from the account and explain why.

If that bears no fruit, go over the CEO's head to any board of trustees.

If that's a fallow field, and if there is an outstanding balance, issue an invoice TODAY and assert that the terms are within 14 days, at most. Send a copy of this invoice to your counsel.

If they do not pay up within the time allowed, send a bailiff's notice, again, with a copy to counsel.

Then, collect your money, resign the account, and walk away.

Here's why: the client's representative is an imbecile.

You cannot fight stupidity with logic.

No good will come of attempting to communicate ANYTHING to this moron, so pack your stuff, saddle up, and ride.

I basically agree with Gary.

You cannot argue with an idiot. They will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.

If you are working with someone who is "assigned" to this project then you surely have a point of contact who has authority, and hopefully a better sense of comprehension for the goals of the project. I would take my appeal directly to this individual and if that did not bear positive results I would work to resign from the account.

Completely agree. Each step of the planning process is thoroughly looked at and recorded creating a cohesive brand strategy that is the sum of all of its parts. Replacing even one aspect of the proposal changes the entire scope of it. The way you've explained it here makes it sounds like you will be able to convey the message to your client eloquently and professionally, but deep down this actually makes me /facepalm.

While I agree viscerally with Gary (and others), your first reaction is probably more appropriate: "... calmly explain the reason why that cannot be done."

Maybe you can educate this person and convert him to a supporter. You can't really blame a person for what he doesn't know. And you can always resort to Plan B if that doesn't work. And just possibly he'll have some shred of useful input to the exercise, as you listen to his rationale.

Just don't lose your cool in the process. It's not worth that. Better to resign the account than to have him fire you.

Is the statement inwardly-focused or outwardly-focused? If the statement is basically only for the company's leadership, then it may not really matter as to the exact wording, no matter how carefully chosen it is. However, to retain your efforts, why not use your statement as outwardly-focused ("For Our Customers")?

I guess my first question is who built the positioning statement? Was it done by folks inside the company, or people external? Was this person involved with it?

If it was done externally to the company, then it is possible that you just don't have buy in.

If it was done internally, and by folks different than this point of contact, then those people involved could possibly be brought in to help get this person to understand that changing the positioning statement now has other implications.

I was taught by my mentors early in my consulting career to rigidly observe two rules: Rule 1 said that the client is always right. Rule 2 said that if you think the client is wrong, refer back to Rule 1.

Within that context, I would simply accept the company representative's changes. Submit them back to the CEO or Board with your reasons for disagreeing with the amendments, along with your proposals. You must conclude this notice by asking if the company wants you to continue with the project.

You could point out what this would cost the company in terms of your time worked and possibly, future damage to their marketplace efforts (particularly if you can quote a dollar figure).

This action will at least get a discussion going with the CEO/Board in which all the issues can be aired.

This is not an easy situation to resolve, but as you said you like the client, despite the appointed representative. Consequently, as mgoodman says, it's better to resolve the issue on a good note rather than a bad note. After all, you don't want to prejudice the possibility of receiving future assignments that may not include Mr. Objectionable.

chiron34

IMHO, Gary's scorched earth approach may be too harsh. However, I agree that you should pursue the matter by going over the current contact's head. Patiently explain the process and how you arrived at the positioning statement prior to the cut-and-paste suggestion. In addition, you should petition to have the current contact replaced, as he will not take kindly to having his opinion so thoroughly rejected. All of this assumes that you intend to continue working with this client organization. I would hope that you could avoid legal action in this matter.

Gary is right in terms of accepting a bad outcome might tarnish your reputation which is the most critical thing in your business.

As a German proverb goes "The tone makes the music" - meaning how you do things matter as much as what you do.

I recommend to reflect and draw your line. Can you stand for the result if it becomes widely known. With all love for the client and I am with you on the fact that clients should be #1, are you causing harm to them in the long run my avoiding this confrontation?

That is the killer question to answer. You job is to protect the bottom line and long term well being of you client.

Expressing concerns for that in a careful and non confrontational manner is acceptable. If the superior (CEO) is reacting not positively I would ensure all bills are paid (maybe not as aggressively as Gary but with a clear understanding) and withdraw.

You have a reputation to loose and if the CEO is backing up an obvious reckless character, than you need to start with damage control.

No worries, it will hit the board level why you ejected from the project and there will be explaining to do.

Just come with constructive solutions when you address the issue to the CEO.

But in the end Gary is right with irrational people logic does not work. I have been in the same situation and got burned badly. The ONLY way to manage this is to walk away.

Best of luck !

Sounds to me like the assignment has been built of a foundation of a relationship that has not been fully formed.

If the relationship with the buyer (and I am making an assumption you are dealing with an economic buyer, i.e. someone who can authorise your bill to be paid) had been properly founded then the positioning statement you came up with would have been no surprise to them.

You need to have a good hard look at your engagement process and your briefing process. Maybe the fault is not all with the client?

Chances are, the client usually understands their business better than the agency. You don't have to be a marketing expert to 'get' whether a strategy or campaign concept or even a positioning statement feels right for your business. If the target of your work was only experienced marketers then something is probably wrong...

If you knew this client was going to be this difficult to work with, could you have done things differently to avoid this problem?

However, you are at the point of here and now. How about going back to the client and asking them to rebrief you based on the fact you may have misunderstood something.

Oh, unless this client is just a middleman - the person the true economic buyer as shuffled into the relationship because they haven't the time to invest on this project. If that's the case, then get back to the true buyer - the person who authorises the payment - because that's the point where you should have created the relationship and where the brief should have been firmly anchored.

Just as there is a responsibility on you to make sure you have properly scoped out and understood the brief, there's a responsibility on the client to ensure the brief is correct and fully comprehensive. Did you get their sign-off on the brief, i.e. "this is what I understood you told me"?

Clearly, looking at the number of KHE heavyweights who have come in to answer the question, this is a topic that is close to the bone for so many of us!