Client Service is built when no one’s watching.

“Client service” is a phrase that gets used a lot in the agency world. Everyone agrees, it matters A LOT. Where it starts to get interesting is in how it shows up day to day.

Over time, we’ve found that strong client service goes beyond responsiveness and delivery (those are obviously expected). The relationships that last (and the work that has the most impact) tend to come from being entrenched in way the client's world works.

 For us, that’s meant spending more time inside our clients’ environments and finding ways to work alongside their teams rather than around them. We call it ‘embedding’.

What “Embedding” Looks Like in Practice

It means taking the time to understand how our client’s teams operate daily, their systems, workflows, constraints, and priorities, and shaping our work so it fits naturally into that reality.

That often includes:

• joining shared team communication channels

• reviewing internal updates alongside external ones

• sitting in on scrums or planning conversations

• staying close enough to understand what’s actually happening, not just what’s documented

The goal isn’t to replicate internal roles, but to align with how decisions are made and work moves forward.

Seeing Across Teams

One of the things we’ve noticed from the outside is that agencies often have a broader line of sight than any one internal team.

We’re frequently working across marketing, communications, product, and leadership groups that don’t always overlap in day-to-day conversations. That vantage point makes it easier to spot where efforts are overlapping, where messaging could be better aligned, or where a small hand-off tweak could make things smoother.

In practice, that might look like:

• flagging similar initiatives happening in parallel

• connecting teams that would benefit from shared context

• helping simplify coordination without adding extra layers

Less friction. Better flow.

Paying Attention as Things Change

Another thing we’ve learned: systems that once worked well don’t always age gracefully.

Being embedded can make it easier to notice when something starts to feel off not as a critique, but as an early signal worth exploring. We’ve seen situations where:

• communications were reaching audiences they weren’t meant for

• frequency crept up over time and engagement dropped

• messaging drifted across channels as teams evolved

Because we’re close to the work, those moments tend to surface early, when small adjustments can still make a big difference.

Showing Up Where the Work Happens

Some of the most useful insight doesn’t come from formal meetings.

Spending time in our clients’ offices, sitting with teams, and listening to how challenges are talked through adds a layer of understanding that’s hard to replicate remotely. When it’s useful and appropriate, it helps us tailor our work to how people actually think, collaborate, and make decisions not just how processes are supposed to work.

When It Works

At the end of the day, client service is where trust is built, decisions get easier, and better outcomes tend to follow.

Work moves smoothly.

Conversations are more open.

Teams feel supported.

We keep coming back to this approach because, quite simply, it’s what’s worked best for us, and for our clients.