The Order Taker

People who run a business have a tendency to want to do more. Lately, I’m seeing that impulse show up in significantly overservicing clients. 

Before I expand on that, a quick word on service. I think you should deliver the best service you possibly can, but how you get there absolutely matters and sometimes your clients aren’t paying for your best. 

Said another way, producing low quality work or communicating ineffectively damages your firm. But putting up with the whims of a low budget client can be equally damaging. 

Why Agencies Are Overservicing Now 

There are four factors heavily influencing agency leadership behavior right now: shifting economics, B2B social media, long contracting/negotiation periods, and remote-first work environments.

Shifting economics is the reality that AI and other factors are changing how principals think about the longevity of their businesses. Rather than thinking in 3-5 year planning chunks, they’re focusing on 6-18 month windows - and almost always assume their current clients will still be there. 

B2B social media is primarily LinkedIn. We think it’s a window into how other agencies operate, but it’s really becoming more like a cheap dating service where the profile certainly doesn’t match the final product. As a result, we think we’re behind and get overwhelmed by the unlimited number of things we could be doing to catch up. 

Long contracting and negotiation periods mean that when we have a prospect on the line, it’s taking forever to get their dollars into our bank account. Principals are souring on new business in general and defaulting to client retention at all costs. 

Remote-first work environments mean that more decisions are being made independently without a casual sanity check - and with less visibility into the actual work being done. The only way to demonstrate the work is to deliver on process as draft, edits, and strategic pivots start flying via email and Slack. 

All four of these factors are contributing to an environment where agency leaders feel beholden to the client. The cost of new business is uncertain, but undoubtedly too high. So, we turn into order takers and “yes” people who are always “more than happy to take another pass”. 

The Difference Between Overservicing and Scope Creep

They’re two flavors of the same thing, but they differ in origin and intent (and therefore antidote). 

Scope creep = external pressure (client asks for more) or at minimum a systemic problem with unclear agreements

Overservicing = internal behavior - you do more than required, often out of pride, insecurity, or a desire to please, without any client demand driving it. 

Treat Everyone Fairly, But Not Equally

Jimmy Johnson won two Super Bowls coaching the Dallas Cowboys. A reporter once asked him if he would treat his star quarterback, Troy Aikman, the same way as a third-string lineman if he caught them both sleeping in a team meeting.

Johnson didn’t hesitate, “Absolutely not. If I found a third-string lineman sleeping in a team meeting I would cut him immediately. If I found Troy Aikman sleeping in a meeting, I would gently wake him and ask him if I could bring him a cup of coffee.”

You should overservice your best clients - or the clients with the most potential. But the key is being honest with yourself about who those clients are. 

Where to Focus Energy 

It’s easy to feel like you should be doing more. But doing more isn’t going to do anything if it isn’t the right stuff. Spending more time on a client that makes up 2% of your revenue (and always will) doesn’t move the needle. 

Here's what does move the needle:

Go deeper with your growing clients. The clients with momentum deserve your curiosity. Understand their business well enough to get ahead of their needs, not just respond to them. 

Build a perspective that attracts the right new clients. Overservicing is often a symptom of an underdeveloped point of view. When you don't have a clear stance on what you do and who you do it for, every client feels precious(even the ones that shouldn't). Develop a perspective and a process you believe in, and you'll spend less time chasing and more time choosing.