7 signs it’s time to switch agency

Working with the right web agency for your business

You brought in a WordPress or Shopify agency to manage your website a few years ago, but it feels like your site hasn’t actually improved. Sound familiar? Or maybe you’ve started a new role and you’re now responsible for managing an agency that was already in place, but you’re not sure what value they’re adding to your business. 

When to switch agency

It might be time to switch agency. Working with a WordPress agency or Shopify agency can (and should) feel like a weight off your shoulders – one less thing to think about in your busy day. You know your site is in safe hands.

But what happens when you’re not working in harmony with each other? Here are 7 signs it might be time to switch agency.

You don’t feel like a priority

Regardless of how much you’re investing in your agency, you should be made to feel important. For a lot of agencies, the collection of “smaller” clients is what actually keeps them profitable, so you shouldn’t be made to feel like less of a priority than other clients. 

In an ideal world, your agency would have dependable resource allocation and organisation so you’re getting the attention you deserve. If you don’t feel like you are, have a conversation with them. If it doesn’t improve, perhaps it’s time to have a look at those other fish in the sea. 

Poor communication

Clear, consistent communication is key to any successful partnership. If your agency doesn’t keep you in the loop about project progress, upcoming milestones, or potential issues, it’s a bit of a red flag. You should never be left guessing about the status of your website or what your money is being spent on. 

Regular updates and transparency are essential. Without either, it’s difficult to build trust and confidence. You should be having regular status calls to make sure you’re in the know.

(Unless of course you’ve specifically asked for emails instead. We get it, sometimes life is too busy.) 

Your goals aren’t aligned

Does your current agency understand your short term and long term business goals? Your site is a huge part of your marketing and sales strategy. If your agency doesn’t know how your site plays a part in this, then it’s likely they’re not helping you get the most out of your site. 

You can easily remedy this by having a goal setting meeting where you talk about your buyer personas, marketing and revenue goals.

If it still doesn’t feel like you’re working together to reach the same goals, maybe it’s time to reach for the telephone and dial Atomic Smash… (hit us up on +44 (0)117 933 8513).

You’re not seeing any proactivity

If your agency knows your business inside out and understands your goals, there is plenty of opportunity for them to use their expertise and proactively make suggestions about what could be improved about your site. 

If you’re struggling with lead generation and think it might be because of the user journey on your site, your agency should be able to suggest which other elements of your site might be holding you back. Of course, budget might be a restriction here, but ideally you should be getting regular suggestions about ways to optimise your site. 

The quality isn’t there

You hired an agency for their expertise and experience, right? Or because you didn’t have the time or resources inhouse to keep up with the site demands? Either way, if your site is riddled with issues, that’s a poor reflection of the agency (and you’ll want to resolve these before it reflects poorly on your business too). 

A few errors here and there are to be expected, but they should be fixed in a timely manner and ultimately your agency should be there to make your site better, not worse. 

You’re not seeing a return on your investment

Your website is a significant investment, but that’s exactly what it should be. An investment rather than a cost. If your goals have been communicated clearly to your agency, their efforts should lead to more traffic, engagement or conversions (or hopefully all three!). After 6 months of working together towards your goals, you should be able to see some positive results. 

Lack of transparency

Have you ever received an invoice and had no idea what it’s for? Or a proposal that doesn’t explain what your priorities are and how your agency will support you with these, for instance?

Any confusion around where your money is actually going could lead to mistrust. And you certainly won’t be seeing the value in the work you’re paying for.

Transparency from the very first conversation you have with your agency is key to building trust with them. You should know who is working on your account, the approach the agency will take, what they consider the priorities to be and where your investment is going. If not, it might be time to look elsewhere and switch agency. 

Your 7 signs that it might be time to switch agency are:

1. You don’t feel like a priority
2. Poor communication
3. Your goals aren’t aligned
4. You’re not seeing any proactivity
5. The quality isn’t there
6. You’re not seeing a return on investment
7. Lack of transparency

It goes without saying that all of these things can be addressed, fixed and moved on from. So, there’s no need to jump ship over a couple of bumps in the road.

However, if these issues are ongoing and aren’t being resolved, it’s probably time to do some Googling. You can find an agency more suited to you. Here’s a short guide on how to find the right Shopify agency.

Or, you know, drop Atomic Smash a line…