Our Principles
1. Lead the client (and Porter Novelli) to success
2. Demonstrate passion for your client’s business
3. Challenge your client to think better, bigger, different
4. Know what the client expects and surpass it
5. Measure client satisfaction and address issues immediately
6. Honor every commitment and earn the client’s trust
7. Value and nourish every client relationship
1. Lead the client (and Porter Novelli) to success
• Focus on exactly what success looks like
• Help your client contacts succeed with their superiors
• Push back and tell clients when they’re wrong, don’t be an order taker
• Always ask what’s next
• Believe in Porter Novelli expertise and sell it
• Expect to be fairly compensated for the services we provide
• Always look for opportunities to expand our relationship with the client
• Invest in building strong relationships with PN offices/account teams who share client business
• Use the Compass planning tool to ensure impact
• Ask peers to review the work so the client can benefit from their insights
Outcome: Mutual business growth
2. Demonstrate passion for your client’s business
• Clients love curiosity and questioning – show an interest in learning about their business, their challenges, etc.
• Stay aware of what’s next in their field (read, sample, visit)
• Celebrate all of their business successes with them
• Be an advocate for your client
• If you hate the product/business/message, don’t work on the business!
Outcome: Stronger and closer relationship
3. Challenge your client to think better, bigger, different
• Use the CA approach to actively seek ideas and engagement from the broader PN network
• Bring in the resources you need to exceed expectations; don’t get stuck in the routine of doing the same thing over and over for a client or industry
• Use a 360 degree view and ask the hard questions, don’t just execute against the plan
• Continue to serve up innovation even if it’s not resulting in new programs
• Expose you client to fresh thinking and perspectives from PN specialties and disciplines and by connecting them to outside experts, thought leaders and Omnicom partners
Outcome: Better client Results
4. Know what your client expects and surpass it
• Agree to clear expectations about the agency/client relationship, the work we will deliver and how you will work together to resolve issues
• Have regular check-ins to monitor whether the expectations have changed
• Go to every meeting with a new idea, perspective or comment
• Talk to your client about ideas beyond your brief if they are strategic
• Challenge your own thinking to go beyond the usual
• Don’t accept mediocrity from yourself or your team
Outcome: Greater authority with the client
5. Measure client satisfaction and address issues immediately
• Schedule structured reviews on a regular basis, don’t rely solely on informal conversations
• Use client review tools: balanced scorecard, client survey or a tool provided by the client
• Check in with the right client, not just your every day contact
• Actively probe for problems
• Read between the lines: some clients are uncomfortable providing direct feedback
• Act on issues immediately and check in with the client to be sure the issues are resolved
Outcome: Improved client confidence
6. Honor every commitment and earn the client’s trust
• Hold early expectations meetings, define what is “value” for the client
• Discuss how they want to be challenged when you disagree or see alternative approaches
• Understand your client’s personality and working style and how you can best work with them
• Be a good listener – don’t feel you always have to have the answer but be a partner with your client in finding the solution
• Prove yourself worthy of the client’s confidentiality
• Only make commitments you are sure you can meet
• Demonstrate honesty and transparency in all dealings
• Pay close attention to always getting the details right
Outcome: Client retention
7. Value and nourish every client relationship
• Recognize that the relationship is ultimately between the client and Porter Novelli; it’s bigger than the individual, team, specialty
• Nourish by opening it up to the broader resources of the agency
• Connect the client to opportunities and expertise outside the agency
• Develop a strategic plan to build stronger relationships, don’t leave it to simple intuition
• Court client contacts as though new prospects (rekindle the romance)
• Make your client aware of PN’s successes so they are proud to work with a winning agency
Outcome: Long-term business growth
