Five years ago, in the spring of 2011, the agency started asking for feedback from its clients via the following question: “Balancing the agency’s history of accomplishment for your firm with our work over the past 90 days, how happy are you with the agency’s efforts in helping you grow your brand and your business?”
The concept was not without controversy, and admittedly the practice was a bit unusual, unorthodox, and often questioned. But 19 surveys and 564 responses later, this process has proven itself to be a valuable and respected tool in both reaching our BHAG of achieving “100% Win-Win Relationships” and in accomplishing our Purpose of “Growing Brands and Growing People.”
The results and responses (all published via our client portal) are full of compliments, complaints, and observations that have created a consistent feedback loop to our team that has proven itself key to the growth of our team members, the entire agency, and in turn…our clients. The information has helped us more aggressively appreciate our strengths and tenaciously work on our weaknesses with a mindset focused on growth rather than defensiveness.
The scores, which have steadily risen, allow for a sense of accomplishment and pride throughout the agency, boosting both morale and productivity.
Yes, some comments have felt like rights to the chin, lefts to the head, and unending blows to the body. But overall, every comment plays a role in making us stronger, wiser, and better at our craft, both individually and as a team.
I’m very proud of the scores which have steadily risen to a record high in the last survey of 9.09. That’s a far and welcomed journey from the starting point in May 2011 of 6.07.
- If you’ve participated regularly or even slightly irregularly, thank you!!!!
- Thank you from our team who learns and grows with every survey.
- Thank you from me, whose job gets better and better as we work more and more to fulfill our purpose.
- And thank you from all those who DO NOT participate…as they too have benefited from your participation in this process.
If you are one of those non participants, please reconsider taking just a moment to rate our performance and offer a pat on the back, a critique of our service, or an observation that just might help us, you, and every reader of this commentary.
Keep giving feedback, and keep rocking forward!!!
Arnie Malham
Found/CEO
