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This has been me the past few months. I am leaving for a new role, but my boss is aware of the issues we’ve faced and has decided with the clients to have a mutual break-up. People were starting to quit (myself included). Are you getting any support from above?
That all makes sense, and I’m so sorry you are going through this. Client behavior can be abysmal beyond our wildest imaginations. I hope you guys win some new businesses soon so you can redistribute the team or that you are able to find a better role where you’re respected as a partner!
In your case, I’m genuinely surprised that executive leadership at your agency hasn’t stepped up their pitching to bring in a new piece of business so that they can lob these clients. Lob = nicely let go of bad clients.
We've had a few small layoffs here & there with other accounts sunsetting, so I think that's preventing leadership from pulling the rip cord too quickly. That, and needing the new account(s) in-hand before letting one go.
I left the agency to be a client. And it’s been refreshing not to deal with clients :)
Hello from the other siiiiide👋
Yes and yes. I took a pay cut initially but it was 100% worth it
I'm in a similar situation but the lack of support from senior leadership has me just as frustrated if not more so than the abysmal client
Once I was in an account with a dream client but nightmare boss. Was actively interviewing and ready to leave, and my boss announced she was leaving. New team is a dream. Sometimes you get lucky.
I had the opposite, dream team, awful client. Like my top 2 worst in almost 15 years. After about a year and a half, I begged to be moved to another client. New client was ok, team was cool, manager was the WORST. Be careful what you wish for
These clients exist, sadly. Most good agencies recognize this and while the clients may not change, the agency does recognize it and ensures the team rotates off frequently, like a two year tour of duty.
If you love your team and the agency, that’s more important. Clients come and go, leave their own positions etc. let your team be the thing that fuels you in this role. Try and let the client stuff roll off your back and not get to you.
Good advice, thanks. I'm nearing a point where I can have an honest conversation with leadership about rolling off and what's next. I just want to be careful about when and how I use that chip.
I've never left because of the client, but have definitely stayed too long (years) on bad clients and know the toll it takes; thinking back to "how could I have spent so many years on the long hours and unreasonable work situation?"
Unfortunately, the kinds of clients you describe are very common because they are increasingly having take on more visible rolls with higher expectations from their bosses and less people they can delegate to (so new accountability for them), expected to keep up on the constantly changing requirements/guidelines/specs for media channels, all while terrified they will be subject to job cuts from mergers or "efficiencies".
They can make every little task and bump feel lethal so it takes an A/S person that can handle that kind of energy without absorbing it and guide them to a place of peace of mind (every. single. day - exhausting!).
It may be hard to find in another agency, so try to get a good sense of the client personality when interviewing at a new place so you don't leave just to end up in the same situation.
Good luck!