What to Watch For When Choosing a Digital Product Agency

Without guidelines in place to field your options, choosing a digital product agency can be a daunting and confusing task. We’ve broken down some green, yellow, and red flags to help you pinpoint the truly spectacular agencies and steer clear of the agencies that might not have your best interests at heart.

Green flags to be aware of when choosing a digital product agency

If you notice any of these qualities listed below, you’re likely on the right track toward choosing an agency that’s reliable, honest, and efficient.

THEY ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS

When an agency is asking questions, it shows that they are more interested in having a clear understanding than appearing all-knowing. We like to refer to this as they want to get it right, not be right.

THEY’RE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE

Agencies that are forthcoming and honest will help you set accurate goals and qualify them as a potential partner. They’re qualifying you just as you’re qualifying them, and a quality agency will refer you on to a different alternative if they think it’s a better fit.

‍THEY RETAIN LONG-TERM CLIENTS

Agencies with longer client engagements have proven that they have the skills, processes, and follow-through to be worth the investment. If others trust them to continue bringing value, maybe you can too.

‍THEY RETAIN LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES

Since you’ll be working directly with an agency’s team, you want to make sure they’re happy in their current position. Retention is a good indicator of employee fulfillment. Some turnover is normal, but if they can retain in this industry, they are doing something right.

THEY SHARE INFORMATION AND EXPERTISE ONLINE OR AT EVENTS Another great credibility source is their thought leadership. Check their website and social channels to see what kind of content they share openly. We’ve found if they are sharing, they are learning, which means they will learn how to solve your needs quickly.

THEY CAN CLEARLY EXPLAIN WHAT THEY ARE GREAT AT AND NOT GREAT AT

This ties back in with transparency. An agency that knows its strengths and weaknesses knows where there may be hurdles in an engagement.

‍THEY MENTION PEOPLE’S NAMES, NOT JUST ROLES

To better connect with the people you’ll be working alongside, it’s nice to put a name with the role. If nothing else, this should be included in the agency’s proposal for your team.

‍THEY ARE HONEST ABOUT FAILURES

Failure is one of the best ways to learn. An agency should be able to show that they’ve learned from their failures and have enough successes to balance things out.

CONVERSATIONS

If their previous engagements were positive, they should have no issues providing this information. There may be some confidential information included in this, especially if all of their case studies aren’t publicly available, but ask for proof of their value. Chances are, an agency will be happy to share.