By 
The first time a company hires a digital agency, it is taking a massive leap of faith.
Receiving proposals can be intimidating for a company, whether it is because they need additional expertise or cost-effective knowledge.
What to consider before hiring an agency
With these questions, deciding which agency you can trust and, ultimately, hire will be easier.
Retention Rate
Questions you can ask:
What is your retention rate? What factors are responsible for the retention rate?
How will the training be handled
The average retention rate for all industries is around 90%. Fast food restaurants and grocery stores have a rate closer to 0%.
According to Forbes, the percentage is closer to 30% for marketing and PR firms. The cost of training new employees through an agency with a revolving staff is high in terms of person-hours and lost opportunities.
When an agency cannot keep up with the employee demand, it can frustrate clients. The frustrations range from the new employee learning about their client to the client being unsure who to contact in an emergency.
When agencies have retention rates that are below average, clients will also be looking to leave.
Business Ambitions and Goals
Questions you can ask:
Will the agency expand its service area?
Does the agency have multiple locations?
How does a business fit into the overall plan of an agency?
You may hesitate to trust an agency that seems like the best fit, but they might need more experience.
The future of the contract can be determined by asking the agency if they plan to expand their clientele internationally, nationally, or locally.
Ownership and Investment
Questions you can ask:
Who is the owner of the company?
Why did the agency invest?
How does the investment team encourage ownership?
What are the interests and philosophies of your potential partner?
Even advertising agencies reach a stage where they may consider outside funding to achieve their goals, drive growth or keep the agency open. As an agency that has received outside investment can attest, it can significantly impact how the agency operates.
Investors can influence the client-agency relationship in several ways. They can push the ownership to make decisions and affect staffing, growth, strategy, and other aspects.
This problem can be overcome. A prospective client can determine if the agency composition is right for them by meeting and talking to active investors.
Certifications
What is HTML0?
What certificates do your employees have?
How many hours can staff spend on their education?
When are the certifications valid?
Unexpectedly, many agencies need to ask their staff about their training. It would be possible to hire an MD or electrician with a doctorate.
Many people are willing to hire a marketing agency but need the necessary certificates that prove their qualifications to work with their baby or company.
A company can be assured that it works with an expert team dedicated to excellence by ensuring the marketing experts hold job titles.
Tools and Software
What questions should I ask?
What communication tools will you use?
How often and in what way do you report your results?
Do you have automated reports?
A good agency will provide its clients with tools to streamline the communication process and open up project management.
Agencies can take it a step further by offering a comprehensive guide to tool use or even a personalized training program. This will empower clients to make the best possible use of the tools.
Billing and Costs
What is HTML0?
Do I pay hourly charges, or do I have a retainer agreement?
How do you track your employees’ hours?
The billing process offers agencies an excellent opportunity to demonstrate openness and transparency.
How can you rely on an agency’s information if the client needs to learn how the team reports their hours or the payment terms?
Locked In
What is HTML0?
Do I have to sign a contract that lasts a year?
What happens to the salesperson after I sign?
How long has the average client stayed with you?
Why is it acceptable to ghost a client by a recent salesperson that got them to sign the contract? It’s not.
A complete onboarding process should be provided to the client by an agency. This will allow them to answer all questions.
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