Collaborative working

I mentioned in a post recently that we have added further in-house resource to our team. This is a really exciting time for us, but it did lead me to thinking around the advantages or - dare I say - disadvantages of using external partners to deliver work, and the experiences we have had over the years…which I have to say have largely been good, but you have to find the right fit.

As ever, we are a people business and the best work comes from good solid relationships with clients and partners.

We love collaborating and working with partners, clients and in-house teams - ideas can come from everyone and working together really can generate the most positive of outcomes. We have brought others in on projects, but I'm also really proud to say that several agencies have asked us to deliver with (not for) them too.

Since we started Cargo, we have always tried to produce as much work as we can from our studio, and always been very upfront with clients if and when we were bringing in a specialist partner to deliver a specific piece of work. For us, this was mainly when working with photographers or videographers to deliver projects that required specialisms we simply didn’t have under our roof. And let’s face it - if we tried to do it ourselves we would fail miserably which isn’t good for anyone. We never bought in to ‘fake it until you make it’.

We also were never comfortable with the idea of intentionally portraying that we were bigger than we actually were. I remember we spoke at an event back in 2018 and when we talked about Cargo we were told from an audience member that they thought we were were a 20+ person agency. They were a little taken aback to find we were only a team of 7 at the time. It would seem size really doesn’t matter.

I’ve never understood the idea of pretending you have an in-house team that are actually based elsewhere in the world and subcontracted in, or that you have a London office that is simply a remote call centre to give the impression of a swanky London address. But hey, what works for one doesn’t work for another.

Post-pandemic has seen a rise in the number of freelancers in the creative industries - home working has helped this and also those looking for a better work-life balance. Given that every agency and freelancer I speak to all seem busy, it’s clear that there is enough work to go around so everyone really is a winner.?

So the discussion goes on - either from a client perspective of using the trusted one-man-band or an agency like us, or an agency that brings people in as and when needed. There are always advantages and disadvantages to all. As ever, I don’t believe there is a right or wrong answer here, and there is certainly a world where - contrary to some trains of thought - we can all work in harmony because we all want what is best for the end client don’t we, because that is ultimately how we get paid?

Here are some examples that I have found of the advantages of working with third parties - and the chance for me to play devil’s advocate a little.

Access to specialised skills

Third parties and freelancers often bring unique expertise and specialised skills to the table. They may have a deep understanding of specific design software, development language, techniques, or industry trends that can enhance the quality of the agency's work.?

Agreed - the preference would be to manage this through the agency if the work needs to integrate with other activity, or, as we have done in the past, make a clear introduction to your third party and let them deal directly. Example being photographer capturing a library of shots - our creatives can work on direction, but leave the financials between the client and the third party. Less messy, everyone knows where they stand.

Cost-effective

Hiring freelancers or outsourcing certain projects to third parties can be more cost-effective than hiring full-time employees. Agencies can save on overhead costs like benefits, office space, and equipment.

This is all true to a point, however in our own case recently, the more work you get in a certain area, there is a tipping point where it becomes more cost effective to recruit full-time, and then the benefits really start to show. The smaller, niggly amends and changes can be done quicker and easier with in-house resource.

Scalability and flexibility

Working with third parties and freelancers allows agencies to scale their workforce up or down based on project demands. They can quickly bring in additional resources for large projects or leverage multiple freelancers for simultaneous smaller projects.

Yes, if they are available, but things can get tricky if the first round of work gets completed, and then move onto another client, can’t fit in revisions or updates to your work or worse still go missing completely (NB: this has never happened to us!).

Fresh perspectives and creativity

Collaborating with external individuals or organisations can inject fresh perspectives and creative ideas into the agency's work. It helps avoid stagnation and brings in new inspiration and approaches.

Can’t argue with this. Best example I can give is illustrators or creative copywriters working with an agency on campaigns.

Faster turnaround time

Leveraging a network of freelancers or third parties can help the agency meet tight deadlines or handle sudden spikes in workload. These external resources can provide additional manpower and work simultaneously on different projects, improving turnaround times.

Hmmmm - same response as scalability and flexibility for me.

Ultimately, the decision to utilise third parties and freelancers should be based on the specific needs and goals of the project and your chosen agency. Careful consideration of the points above can help determine the best approach for optimising productivity, quality, and profitability. Ensuring clear lines of communication and ongoing discussion will result in a positive experience for all concerned and the best outcome at the end.

Wherever possible try to meet your agency team at the very minimum at the start of the project and ideally at regular intervals throughout. By meeting and building relationships with those that are going to be working on your project first hand, will create understanding, trust and commitment to the project going forward.

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