[Sigia-l] [OT?] Client/Consultant Relationships in 2004

[Katie Ware]

(Tried sending this Saturday, didn't see it go through. Apologies if you get 
it twice)

Hi all -

Just something that has been bouncing around in my head.  How have Internet 
strategy/creative (vs. technical) consultant/client relationships changed 
over time? Boom, bust and now? What are people seeing?

I've been at 3 agencies and one corporation (twice) in the last ten years. 
In the "glory days" the consultants usually knew more than the clients 
(although we sometimes were making it us as we went along.) Now many 
companies have "e-business" departments or "i-marketing" departments - 
sometimes populated by ex-pat Internet consultants.

In the past there was a lot of educating going on, now that's not always the 
case - although I still run across internal marketing folks who don't know 
how to utilize the Internet as a communication channel.

Sometimes there is a strategic vision from the client side, sometimes not. 
Sometimes they want it from the consultant, sometimes we actually get to 
work together on it. And then there are times on the consultant side it 
feels like a production house relationship.

Of course, there aren't a lot of totally "new" sites out there (not that 
I've been working on anyway). More tweaking and redesigns.

So - just some Saturday musings. Any thoughts? What things have you seen in 
the evolution of the Internet and client/consultant relationships - from 
both sides?

Katie