--- title: A Casual Conversation on Client-Agency Relationships description: Building relationships between clients and agencies can be tricky, especially when each party has differing expectations. Laura Calvert, Russell Elliot, and Paul Hudson all explore the factors that make a strong partnership, and the challenges in building one. image: https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Marketing_Files/Blogs/Headers/client_agency_relationship.png --- close ## Ready to level up your insights? Get ready to streamline, scale and supercharge your research. Fill out this form to request a demo of the InsightHub platform and discover the difference insights empowerment can make. A member of our team will reach out within two working days. close ## Cost effective insights that scale Quality insight doesn't need to cost the earth. Our flexible approach helps you make the most of research budgets and build an agile solution that works for you. 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[Read more](https://blog.flexmr.net/workshops-beacons-customer-salience) 9 MIN READ #### Ed Hill - [Events (1)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/events) - [Insights Empowerment (38)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/insights-empowerment) - [Practical Application (178)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/practical-application) - [Research Methods (285)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/research-methods) - [Strategic Thinking (232)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/strategic-thinking) - [Survey Templates (7)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/survey-templates) - [Tech & Trends (397)](https://blog.flexmr.net/topic/tech-trends) Building a strong client-agency relationship in the insights industry can be tough, mainly due to a perception gap about the other party on both sides of the relationship. One of our [whitepapers](https://resources.flexmr.net/whitepapers/client-agency-relationship-gulf?hsLang=en) tackles this very topic; FlexMR North American Client Development Manager Heather Wendlandt conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with a series of senior insight professionals on both sides of the equation. What Heather discovered was a number of miscommunications taken on both sides driven by the lack of understanding without knowing how to bridge the gap. We explore this concept further in the new video in our Casual Conversation series, where Helpdesk Agents, Russell Elliot and Laura Calvert, and our CEO, Paul Hudson, share their knowledge on how to build better relationships with clients. ### Building Strong Partnerships Insight agencies and insight users. There are two related elements discussed in this video: the challenges currently hindering client-agency relationships, and the factors that make a strong relationship. There are significant challenges to building up a relationship with clients and agency-side insight professionals all centring on communication. The first significant challenge Russell, Laura, and Paul all mention is a lack of understanding. A lack of understanding in research goals, of stakeholder and researcher limitations, of contextual factors, of how to communicate with each other. | ![Tweet from FlexMR](https://www.flexmr.net/images/webpage-images/45-tweet-this-from-flexmr.png) | ***Tweet This*** | | --- | --- | | [Building strong relationships between clients and agencies incites comfort and trust, and leads to easier communication between the two parties.](https://ctt.ac/H4zi8) | | Imagine you’re talking with someone about the same topic, but you’re both approaching it from slightly different angles. When you both don’t know you’re talking from different angles emotions such as frustration, tension, and stress, all culminating towards a disappointing discussion. Communication is more than just explaining your side of the topic; it’s about taking the time to listen to the other party as you explore both sides of the topic thoroughly, expanding each other’s understanding. The main impact of thorough communication between clients and agencies is a strong developing partnership. This partnership is the key to conducting a truly successful research project, and builds the confidence needed in both parties to conduct research of this calibre. Strengthening these relationships between clients and agencies incites comfort and trust, and an easier time communicating with each other throughout the time working together; this comfort and trust is critical to aiding stakeholders in opening up, sharing information they might have otherwise kept to themselves that could be crucial to designing the right research strategy. Laura, Russell, and Paul all have significant experience in building strong client-agency relationships right from the start, throughout the research strategy, until the insights are safely in the stakeholders’ hands. Watch the video now to listen to their experiences communication and building relationships with clients. | ![Tweet from FlexMR](https://www.flexmr.net/images/webpage-images/45-tweet-this-from-flexmr.png) | ***Tweet This*** | | --- | --- | | [Strengthening relationships incites comfort, trust, and easier communication - all of which contribute to a better research strategy and more accurate resulting insights.](https://ctt.ac/20KEb) | | ### The Casual Conversation Series A Casual Conversation on... is a series of short, candid videos with the FlexMR leadership team that introduce the key offerings of the agency, our thinking and viewpoints on the future of market research and the insight industry. Throughout these videos, you'll hear direct from those involved in designing the InsightHub platform and the unique agency model that FlexMR operates. [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1682149/a07b9b9f-fee9-447c-a050-1e3fa9d77f53.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1682149/a07b9b9f-fee9-447c-a050-1e3fa9d77f53) #### About FlexMR We are The Insights Empowerment Company. We help research, product and marketing teams drive informed decisions with efficient, scalable & impactful insight. #### About Sophie Grieve-Williams Sophie is a graphic designer who brings the FlexMR brand to life through creative, impactful and inspiring visual communication. #### Stay up to date ## You might also like... ![Blog Featured Image Header](https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Marketing_Files/Blogs/Headers/Workshops.png) ### [Workshops and Beacons: A Guide to B...](https://blog.flexmr.net/workshops-beacons-customer-salience) Most organisations are not short of data, insight or decks.Their biggest challenge is not whether customer understanding exists since most teams have access to more customer insight than ever before. ... [Continue reading](https://blog.flexmr.net/workshops-beacons-customer-salience) 9 MIN READ ![Blog Featured Image Header](https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Marketing_Files/Blogs/Headers/ZeroParty.png) ### [Communities and the Post-Cookie Fut...](https://blog.flexmr.net/communities-post-cookie-future) The abundance of data available at our fingertips is not an uncommon topic in the industry these days. Neither is the question: how do we use it effectively? [Continue reading](https://blog.flexmr.net/communities-post-cookie-future) 6 MIN READ ![Blog Featured Image Header](https://blog.flexmr.net/hubfs/Thea%20Closeness%20Blog.png) ### [Empathy, Emotion and Compassion in ...](https://blog.flexmr.net/empathy-customer-closeness) Empathy, compassion, and emotional understanding are increasingly recognised as essential components in building a culture of customer closeness, yet many organisations still struggle to move beyond a... 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