searchingNavigating a business successfully through the ever-changing digital marketing world is a huge challenge for many decision makers, especially when resources are tight. Co-operations with experienced and competent digital partners are indispensable and the selection of the optimal service provider is crucial for further growth and positioning in the market. A wrong decision can not only quickly blow up the budget, but also damage the brand image. That’s why you should be aware of the most important parameters for a selection.

1. Understanding the company

One of the clearest signs of a good service provider is its deep understanding of business practices and customer behavior patterns. The most important building blocks for a successful cooperation are comprehensive transparency, credibility and experience of the agency in the respective area. Mutual trust creates the necessary platform to succeed together.

2. Understanding needs and budgets

A successful collaboration starts with a good understanding of the actual needs of the customer. However, decision makers must clearly state how the requirements for their target groups and their touchpoints are composed. Only in this way, service providers can ponder which measures are conceivable and which open points still need to be clarified.

  • What are the experience levels of the service provider in the respective market and the operational implementation?
  • Have the real needs of the customer been understood?
  • Have all goals been formulated clearly?
  • Is the budget planning realistic with the planned measures? Have the advertisers taken into account additional contingencies?
  • Are there already business cases that can be used for the budget calculation?
  • How does the service provider review the budget during collaboration?

3. Linking the processes

Service providers, regardless of their field of activity, know that customer satisfaction and customer loyalty are the key factors for growth. Therefore, this success criterion is also firmly anchored in their own strategies and backed up by action catalogs in their daily work.

  • To what extent is the service agency able to adapt internal processes to the respective habits of its customers?
  • What alternatives are developed by the supplier in order to promote joint projects as smoothly and transparently as possible?
  • What innovative tools are used to meet custoequirements flexibly and efficiently?
  • How does the advertiser achieve the greatest possible data transparency and thus the best possible project control?
  • What expertise combines the project-responsible team?


4. New ideas to exploit potentials


Good service providers know their customers and their markets. When developing campaign ideas and customer-oriented approaches, they know what works and what measures will miss the goals set.

  • Which relevant campaigns can the advertiser already show?
  • Is the provider focusing on trends and future scenarios and can they optimally connect analogue touchpoints with digital ones?
  • How quickly is the service provider able to respond to issues and support requests? For example, can he offer in-house support?
  • How high is the technological understanding to optimize online presences and digital touchpoints?


By Daniela La Marca