Claire Lawson, Managing Director, Impact Porter NovelliLet’s be frank – the PR industry is obsessed with winning. Securing a high-profile client, launching viral content, or crafting an award-winning campaign, agencies invest heavily in pitches and execution … and can’t wait to write that self-congratulatory LinkedIn post. Yes, I’ve been guilty of this myself, but this isn’t about me…
Despite the noise about success, client churn remains a major issue. Why? Because results alone don’t keep clients loyal – the experience does.
A long-term client once shifted part of their business to a local Saudi agency, dazzled by a compelling pitch and strong market insights. Within months, they realised the agency lacked the quick turnarounds, dynamic thinking, and agility required.
They returned, recognising true partnership is about more than just insights – it’s about being the right fit. We, in turn, invested more heavily in our team on the ground to ensure we could deliver what was missing.
As AI streamlines PR tasks, agencies must rethink their competitive advantage. The real differentiator is how agencies work with clients, anticipate challenges, and integrate into business objectives. The ones that thrive will prioritise client experience as a business function, not just a relationship-building exercise.
The client experience gap: why agencies lose business
Clients don’t just leave over performance issues – they leave when they don’t feel valued or supported. Common frustrations include:
- Lack of strategic thinking: when agencies focus on execution instead of providing counsel, becoming order-takers rather than trusted advisors
- Inconsistency in service: the team that won the pitch is rarely the one servicing the account, leading to disconnects
- Transactional relationships: agencies that focus only on deliverables instead of understanding the bigger business picture risk losing relevance
A few years ago, a client was ready to fire us a year into a two-year contract. I met with her in person—not to persuade her otherwise, but to learn. She revealed that no one from our team had engaged her face-to-face in six months. Simply showing up, listening, and aligning PR with her business goals turned the relationship around, extending our contract by another two years.
What agencies must do differently
For agencies to remain indispensable, they must rethink their role:
- Strategic partnership: clients expect agencies to shape reputation strategy, challenge assumptions, and anticipate risks.
- Proactive engagement: instead of waiting for briefs, agencies should identify opportunities and offer solutions first.
- Seamless collaboration: PR must integrate with marketing, digital, and creative teams to maximise impact.
- Agility and responsiveness: with reputational shifts happening overnight, real-time advisory is more valuable than ever.
It’s also about playing the long game. A client with a modest budget was initially deprioritised, but a team member continued investing time and effort. That client has now tripled our scope, proving that clients notice when agencies go the extra mile, even when the immediate payoff isn’t obvious.
One of the simplest yet most overlooked strategies is regular client engagement beyond reports and deliverables. I often tell my team: Forget the results or the last campaign. If clients rated us on how often we go above and beyond, how would we score? If it’s not great, we need to rethink our approach.
The case for change: why PR needs a client experience revolution
Despite its importance, client experience isn’t embedded into most agencies’ KPIs. Focus remains on coverage volume, share of voice, and campaign metrics – important, but none guaranteeing retention.
If agencies want to future-proof themselves, they must:
- Train teams beyond the day-to-day, focusing on business advisory and relationship management
- Make client experience a measurable KPI, rather than relying on informal feedback.
- Rethink how PR integrates into a business. Rather than an external service, agencies should become part of the client’s ecosystem – understanding internal dynamics, stakeholder challenges, and long-term objectives.
Many agencies focus on winning clients over keeping them. But those who master client experience will build a sustainable advantage. The agencies that thrive in the next decade won’t just have the best creative ideas or media relationships – they’ll master client experience as a competitive advantage.
In an industry where AI is making execution faster, the human aspects of PR – insight, partnership, and strategic thinking – are what will set agencies apart. Those who fail to prioritise client experience will find themselves in a race to the bottom, competing on price alone.
Writing this, I asked myself – surely, this is obvious? But I’ve had enough conversations with clients, both about my own agency and others, to know that it’s not. We must all stop thinking like vendors and start acting like true business partners. Agencies that embrace this shift won’t just win pitches—they’ll keep clients for the long run.
by Claire Lawson, Managing Director, Impact Porter Novelli
