Simon Lamplough
Agencies are missing out on opportunities to impress clients and win more new business, Kitchen Warehouse chief customer officer Simon Lamplough said on stage at AdNews Perth L!VE.
While agencies are under pressure to deliver more with less, too often agencies are staying within the weekly WIPs and quarterly check ins with clients.
Agencies must go beyond these comms meetings, be more inquisitive, get closer to brands and proactively pitch ideas.
Before jumping client-side Lamplough had worked agency side for decades, most recently as Clemenger BBDO Melbourne managing director.
Working agency-side, he and his team would immerse themselves in a client’s business and understand it.
"If it was a retailer, we’d work in stores, shadow customers as they shopped, hold focus groups. And we’d have conversations and consultations with stakeholders beyond marketing," Lamplough said.
But since joining Kitchen Warehouse Lamplough has not seen such curiosity from agencies.
"I haven’t yet had an agency ask to work in a store for a day. Or pack boxes in our factory. Or sit down with the merch team to learn about our new product pipeline or new product trends," Lamplough said.
"I’m pretty sure that if they did they’d identify interesting problems to solve, or pain points that could be improved.
"For example our unboxing experience is woeful. There’s lots of work to be done on our signage and in-store displays. Our store staff are winners, really knowledgeable and passionate, what could we do to make more of a virtue of that or put them on a pedestal? Or what new product opportunities are out there?"
If agencies have ideas for new brands or new product types Lamplough and most other clients would be all ears.
Kitchen Warehouse's Mother’s Day campaign was born from a proactive pitch. It was one of the best performing campaigns in the business.
"We work with the agency, but hadn't briefed them on Mother’s Day. They came to me with the idea in a pretty rough form and it lit a spark," Lamplough said.
"I’ve since paid them a concept fee plus an idea roll out fee and a load of production supervision - none of that would have happened if they hadn't been proactive."
As a result, he encourages all agencies to think about how they could do this more often.
"I’m pretty sure every client will open those doors, you just have to ask," Lamplough said.
"Opportunity is out there to get more work and solve interesting challenges when agencies get curious and actively involve themselves in a client’s business."
While there is a risk of creating unsolicited ideas without context, agencies should trust their instincts.
"As a client I can attest to the fact that there’s nothing more powerful or exciting than an agency coming to you with a proactive idea. Obviously it shows they care, they’re thinking about you, and they’re excited about the opportunity your business presents," Lamplough said.
"If it’s not quite right, then I still appreciate the thought and the door is now open, if it’s great, well then what a fantastic shortcut to working together.
"A lot could be gained, particularly by agencies already working with clients or who have experience on competitor-clients, by investing time in thinking beyond what’s actually briefed to them or waiting for a formal pitch event.
"Whether as a new business tool, an incremental revenue tool or an organic growth tool I’d really encourage agencies to think about how they could do this more often."
AdNews would like to thank supporting partners Nine, Audience 360 and Nexxen alongside associate partners JuiceBox, MiQ and LiSTNR for making the event possible. As well as Friends of AdNews WAMA, PADC, and IMAA.
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