As the traditional ad agency became an integrated agency they either bought-in young digital services to provide a full cross platform-marketing service, or they employed new young talent within, creating whole new departments. This new generation of digital marketers often brought conflict in working styles.

Along with a difference to how this new generation of marketers worked came a difference in how these guys viewed the client. There was not only a split in strategic direction as the old guns in the agency did not want to give ground to new and dynamic avenues to market. But the interpersonal skills of the new age came with different humanistic values. Over time, the old guard in the typical agency structure spilt out this new group to operate as separate units and only brought the digital team in when specifically needed. The traditional agency model becoming an integrated cross platform-marketing services agency, found a developing culture conflict on both sides of the client and staff platforms. Clients are increasingly asking agencies to collaborate with each other, when in fact the big agencies cannot collaborate across their own teams, never mind with other agencies on a client roster.

As expressed by Nissan marketing chief Roel de Vries on agency relationships, see po.st/tplAhW Marketing Directors have enough on their plate managing their own side of the brand and their own marketing and brand manager teams, without trying to manage a group of agencies to work together.

How does an agency create a unique customer experience? In my view the trick going forward, is to give personal relationship support to the marketing and brand teams you work with. I call it the humanistic value factor. People who are your clients are just like you and me. They have a marketing job and have families, relationships, personal ambitions, maybe one or two issues across the family, from illness to personality clashes etc. When they turn up at work these guys need great people to work with, who are conscious of inter-personal skills as well as have the correct professional skills. I assert that clients want you and your team to make life easy for them, safe in some respects even, as they have family holidays mortgage and lifestyle to support. They want to feel secure across all areas of their life. This is a normal human being need.

An agency leader and colleagues have to be social engagement experts at a high degree, demonstrating humanistic values at a conscious level. As well as, delivering creative and marketing digital services for clients. We have to learn that life is about others, not ourselves. Such, that when we give give and give again, all that we want will return and more. But it cannot be a calculated response that we seek. We cannot hold an open account waiting to be balanced by a return on people investment. We cannot track or quantify any ROI in our support and input to others what so ever!

We have to clear our own self-ego and concerns out of the way and lead with a true concern for our client, their life and outcomes. When we care about their family as much as their brand they get it that you get it, so they will want more from you.

I don’t mean we live in our client pockets and get to know them personally right across their family. Although, this will sometimes happen, it can be a natural occurrence out of creating relationship. But it is our job to relieve clients of emotional concerns for their brand and job needs, such that life is great when they get home. In which case, they are free to focus on family time and issues without being work distracted. Of course busy marketing people are under pressure from within their own company environment, but we can help just by being great human beings with and for them.

Now, you know what the hardest part of this conversation is? I could suggest, that I know you get this case I put forward, but do your staff? Is this an open conscious conversation and beigness that is part of your company culture? I suspect that, you and your work colleague’s live just as your clients do, in that life is seen that it is all about them/us/me.

As a new digital age business leader, we have to learn new tricks, we have to in my view, begin to examine and research in how humanistic values can deliver a point of difference to our own teams. But primarily, to deliver a huge shift in client services approach in how we are as a group of human beings, set in a new culture where humanistic values are at the heart of what we are and do. Consider that, it is time to transform our business environments and to coach and educate our staff to be open with their life experiences from a perspective of clearing their own space to be great people for their clients.

This is the biggest challenge any leader has, no matter what size their marketing agency is or for that matter, no matter what company in any service industry sector you might be.

We call our era in marketing, the digital era, where data is king and true relationship and personalisation is at the heart of all of our communications. But at the core of all of this activity, are people, therefore those that develop amazing humanistic values that are at the heart of how they operate at a personal level. Will be the truly successful teams with the very best client relationships.

Our outcome values should take a stand from, what do we do, to have our clients customers have a wonderful experience.

Or, is that a step too far?