Not-too-good experiences with agencies? Use this framework

"Honestly, we don’t use agencies or consultants anymore because we don't have good experiences with them." That was a closing conversation with a prospect, and it's a sentiment we've heard often. If you’re nodding along, thinking about a time you worked with an agency that fell short, you’re one in a hundred.

Your skepticism and past disappointments are valid. It's always a tale of unmet promises, blown budgets, and missed deadlines. We addressed some of the fears peculiar to small teams using technical content-writing agencies. Check it out. This article takes a broader look at the issues surrounding agencies.

Agencies often struggle with issues like using underpaid, less-skilled labor, high turnover, or simultaneously taking on too many projects. These problems can lead to disorganization, damage projects, and leave a bad taste in the mouth.

It’s easy to get disheartened after a bad experience and decide that all agencies are the same. However, it’s also important not to let these experiences cloud your judgment forever. Just as you wouldn’t avoid all restaurants because of one bad meal, you shouldn’t dismiss all agencies because of one bad experience. The key is to learn from the past, refine your approach, and use a solid framework to find and work with the right agency.

In this article, we'll explore a framework to help you make the most of your agency partnerships and ensure you get the quality, expertise, and results you need. We want to help you turn those not-so-good experiences into successful collaborations.

By the way, here’s a snapshot of the framework. Read on to learn how to apply them.

Common reasons why agencies disappoint you

1. The human factor

Let's start with the foundation. Unlike software products, which you can simply pay a subscription for and use, services rely heavily on the individuals performing the work. Ensuring consistent quality in human services every time is challenging, perhaps even impossible. Agencies try to sell you on their amazing team, but SOME cut corners and use fresher and cheaper folks. This often means people quit after a short while, which can be chaotic.

Creative agencies like us face an even bigger challenge. Writing great content requires real brains and experience. How many people out there can truly be thought leaders? It can just be a mess, really.

2. Agencies taking on too much

On top of that, agencies often take on way more than they can chew. They agree to projects that fall outside their sweet spot, then scramble to juggle everything. That's why I believe in these micro-agencies – the specialists with high margins who deliver for their clients. You don't need all that extra stuff – account managers, HR, receptionists, a whole campaign team for every little thing. Agencies trying to do it for everyone end up with broken workflows, people quitting, and a total mess of a work environment.

If they fixed how they run the business in the first place, there would be way more good agencies around. Being a pro in one specific thing is more valuable than spreading yourself thin across ten different services and not being an expert in any of them. If I've been writing technical content for tech companies for years, that's what I should be doing, and I should build a team that knows that stuff inside and out.

At Hackmamba, we've been deliberate about avoiding this pitfall. We've seen the temptation to chase after every opportunity, but we know that staying true to our core values and expertise sets us apart. We focus on delivering exceptional, specialized developer marketing content creation services for SaaS businesses. Period. It's not about being the biggest agency but being the best at what we do.

3. Underpaying talents

To elaborate on the first point, when agencies underpay their teams, they end up with worse talent, and the agency becomes rotten from the inside out.

If you pay people well from the beginning, you’ll attract better talent who will likely stick around for the long term. Some agencies worry about having lower profit margins and hiring low-end talent, ultimately impacting the quality of client work.

We recognized this problem at Hackmamba and reviewed our payment structure. We need highly motivated people, especially for critical services like content writing - a core part of business ‘storefronts,’ branding, and go-to-market strategies. Investing in top talent pays off in the long run, ensuring quality work and happier clients.

4. Scaling and losing sight of core values

It's fascinating how many agency owners are heavily influenced by their peers in mentorship and sales groups. They get caught up in this frenzy of scaling services that aren't scalable. It's all about chasing sales, more sales, and then some more sales, without really grasping how their own services function internally.

An agency starts small, driven by creativity and a genuine passion for delivering high-quality work. But as it grows, the focus shifts. Now, it's all about increasing volume, locking in retainers, and expanding the client base at any cost. The original spark of creativity and dedication often gets lost in pursuing growth metrics.

We've seen it happen time and again. Agencies lose sight of what made them unique and successful in the first place. They stop investing in deepening their expertise or refining their craft. Instead, they spread themselves thin, trying to offer everything under the sun without genuinely understanding or mastering any of it.

However, you also have a role in making agencies work for you.

Restaurants don’t all suck—you just picked a bad one. Seeking external, expert guidance isn’t just accepted; we strongly recommend it.

Your in-house team is fantastic but can't be great at everything. External consultants bring fresh perspectives, help you avoid common pitfalls, and identify those hidden weaknesses you might miss. It's about having a dream team, both inside and out.

1. Invest in long-term relationships

Finding an agency you genuinely click with is key, but the story doesn't end there. It’s like friendship – the longer you invest in it, the stronger and more comfortable it becomes. Honest feedback flows freely, and the agency truly gets you. They know your frustrations aren't personal attacks but a desire to see them succeed alongside you.

This is why long-term partnerships are golden. Take Hackmamba, for example. We've had clients with us for over two years. Over that time, we've learned and understood their needs and expectations. We're PRACTICALLY an extension of their team, familiar with their processes, products, and goals. This deep knowledge translates directly into the quality of work we deliver.

2. Give agencies the tools to succeed

Sometimes, consulting partnerships fall short because of a simple misunderstanding: support. Agencies and consultants often need more collaboration from the client to shine. You wouldn't hire a personal trainer and expect them to magically whip you into shape without any effort on your part, right? The same goes for agencies.

New partnerships require frequent check-ins and feedback to get everyone on the same page. Without that open communication, it's working with a blindfold on. This lack of support can be a recipe for frustration, just like any employee who feels left in the dark.

3. Identify internal blindspots

Self-awareness is a superpower for businesses, especially those with founders who haven't worked at other companies. The key here is understanding your limitations. What kind of help do you truly need? More importantly, can you leverage that help effectively?

The software agency would say your product needs work. The SEO consultant will flag your website issues. The content agency will recommend more content creation - they could all be right, but it's on you, the leader, to see the bigger picture. You must ensure all these pieces work together seamlessly to drive revenue growth. Strategy before execution, always.

4. Stay connected with great consulting partners

Lastly, when you find great consulting partners, stay connected with them. Trust is the most valuable professional currency, and having trustworthy people in your network to collaborate with repeatedly is a game-changer for your company and you personally.

So, yeah, agencies can be a pain sometimes. But they’ve got a ton of experience from working with all sorts of companies, plus systems to get things done faster. They’ve seen what works and flops, so they can help you avoid those rookie mistakes and reach your goals. That’s why a good framework is key – it enables you to find the right agency and turn those bad agency experiences into total wins.