Dec 28, 2021
Creative Agency

How lean agencies are outperforming the Goliath of the industry

Posted by
PulsAero Team
How lean agencies are outperforming the Goliath of the industry?

Where did the term lean originate from in the world of business?

The term originally was developed for the product manufacturing units or companies. It was used to explain fast quality production cycles with as little waste generation as possible. Being associated with the tag of lean production is considered to be an achievement. For example, one of the reasons why Toyota has made such a big name for itself in the industry is because they were the pioneers for lean manufacturing.

But this phrase is no longer limited to just the product-based industry. It is now used for all business models that add value to the customers.

So what is lean agency?

What is a lean agency?

A lean agency is an entity that works on the principle of giving maximum output with fewer resources & waste to their customer. It means you get the best benefits with little to no waste products. Now, in the world of the internet today our lives are moving at a tremendous speed. A lifetime can go by within a blink of an eye. So, it can be said that in this fast-paced life, time is money, and no one can afford to lose time.

Hence, the best benefit a customer can have is getting the best quality work within the least amount of time. Sometimes, people often confuse the terms and think that lean agency means that they charge you less. But that is not the case.

Lean agencies is the term used for efficient agencies that get your work done with maximum output in the least possible time & team. Like a company with the team of less than 10 people completing your project in half the time as compared to a company with more than double the staff.

What does Goliath actually mean?

What does Goliath actually mean?

Goliath is a term derived from the Biblical figure Goliath, who was defeated by young David despite his own huge size and strength. Hence, this term is usually used to describe someone who is massive and powerful but also vulnerable.

In terms of the business world, Goliaths are the giants of the specific industry who are considered the gold standard and have big offices, large manpower but can still have slower and outdated delivery process.

How are lean agencies different from Goliaths?

How are lean agencies different from Goliaths?

Lean agencies are much more efficient in terms of work and delivery of results compared to theGoliaths. You see, though the big companies have more staff, they are usually jumbled up within themselves. They have created a strict structure and expect everyone to follow it while being creative and efficient.

But creativity actually needs leniency and space to flow and develop. No two people are the same, so how can their working method be the same. Such allowances are not possible in big-name companies due to their structured system. But these are feasible in the lean agencies and are the reason for their efficiency and goal-oriented work.

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Principles of which lean agencies work?

1. Add value

The agency should be adding the benefit to their client’s business. Completing work and doingcompetent work are two very different things. Value is always decided from the end customer'spoint of view. So, the project should be done in a way that adds value to the life of the endcustomer while creating maximum profits for the clientele.

The outcome should be such that the end consumer gains benefit from it and can depict the work or services offered by the client in a friendly manner. Let' say for example, you are a company that sells personal care products, then your customers should be able to understand this from your site and social media without much difficulty. They should also find your products attractive and beneficial for them. This is what adding value will actually mean. In simpler terms, it should generate more business for the client.

2. Optimize the value stream

Value stream means the step-by-step activities and procedures that are required in order to produce a certain product as an end result. Lean agencies identify these value streams and figure how to optimize them as a whole. This principle involves analyzing all the steps, materials, and resources that are mandatory for the construction of the product.

In this, all the steps are examined from a critical point of view to make sure the process issmooth and error-free. This makes the entire working system efficient as all the steps can beimproved from the ground up. So, if you want to build a brand from scratch, you need to follow a certain pattern to make it happen. And getting correct guidance for this and making each step count is what helps in reducing the time and effort put into it. This is the goal here.

3. Zero waste

Waste in the field of brand building and brand management mainly means a lack of direction and loss of time and energy on insignificant ideas. Lean agencies have a tendency to avoid such occurrences due to systemic and unique management of the resources.

For example, PulsAero is a lean agency that works in a distinctive manner called focus sprints where a person works only for 90 minutes and then takes a 20-minute break to replenish his/her energy. This is arranged in the above-mentioned fashion to keep the agents focused and coherent because studies say that a person's productivity lessens by 70% after 90 minutes of work.

Also since the value stream is decided for each project individually, it means that the time andeffort are not wasted on the inconsequential plans. This also results in less use of funds tocomplete the project.

4. Quality

The process of manufacturing the end product is analyzed in each and every step. So this means that all faults that are noticeable are corrected immediately at the same time rather than waiting till the end product is ready. Also, a lot of testing can be done at each step to make the processbetter and more accurate. This is one of the main principles on which lean agencies operate. The reason is simple, they believe in producing quality products and have client satisfaction.

Suppose you are in the process of making a dish for the first time. You are following a recipe, but you still stop to taste it every once in a while right? Just to make sure you add the correct spices?? Well why not do the same with your business. Whenever you are creating something you should always take breaks and check your work before you proceed further. That is the principle on which a lean agency like PulsAero works.

5. Quick delivery

Time and money are directly proportional to each other. This means that any work that takes more time can be considered as taking more money. Because the longer you wait to launch any product or service, the more competitive market you enter and there is also a loss of sale time.So, it has become necessary to get the assignments done as quickly as possible.

Lean agencies work on the principle of delivering the services at a much faster rate than the big names. They have a great turnaround rate and work to keep improving it. They can really meet the quick delivery system because they follow the strict deadlines that they set for themselves. Also, the fact that they allow the efficient way of working in which people let everyone do their own work without any interference, helps in reducing the amount of time required to produce the result.

Imagine, you and your friend both are going to pluck apples tomorrow from the same tree to make a pie. But your friend wakes up at 4 am and goes to the tree immediately, while you wake up at 10 am and then take your time and reach the tree by 11. What do you expect will happen? Well, you will see that your friend has picked up most of the apples. The only ones left are those that are difficult to reach. This is the exact scenario with business as well. The earlier you enter the market, the easier it is to get buyers/ clients.

6. Construct knowledge

Every business these days is going online. Even the smallest or the largest businesses have anonline presence. But this also means that everyone has a lot of competition within their ownfields and needs to stand out in comparison to others. This can be achieved by creating properchannels on their site and making it useful and knowledgeable for the end customer.

To do this, lean agencies will always do proper research on their client’s needs and also conduct market research to understand their rivals. After this is done, they will form a system that allows them to present their clients in the limelight and bring the focus to them.

Also, the lean agencies have a tendency to keep upgrading themselves so that they are wellaware of the market situation and are able to operate anything new that comes up.

7. Commitment

Every task requires a level of commitment to complete it with grace. From being able to keep learning to achieve the maximum quality to be able to deliver products at the earliest, everything requires commitment. The staff of such organizations is selected not just on the basis of theirknowledge and dedication but also on their patience and will to work till the last minute. These agencies work on the principle of “just-in-time”.

Meaning they sometimes wait till the very last minute to make certain decisions. This is done to collect all the possible and latest information before making these conclusions. This kind of commitment is difficult to achieve as it also means the agents has to work under last-minute pressure to meet the deadline sometimes. But this is something that such agencies live for.

Because if you are still in the deciding phase about a few properties of your product/ launch, you need your team to be on their toes and be ready to think and workout the details just before your business goes public.

Benefits of hiring a lean agency?

Benefits of hiring a lean agency?

1. Efficient

Let's say you are in the market to buy a house and are approached by 2 people. One shows you a sleek and beautiful house from outside but when you enter the house you see that the plumbing is overlapping with electricity, the water is interfering with AC outlet, and other such messed up structures.

But the other tells you they will create a house just for you. Which are you more likely to choose?? The second option right? So give the same opportunity for your business as well.

You see each project picked by a lean agency is well thought and well planned. Before even starting any creative work they will map out everything that is to be done. They will also be very clear about what they want to achieve and how they are going to achieve that.

The process is broken down into very simple steps which are then carried out by different departments. These departments may interact with each other but will not interfere in each other’s works.

That means that everyone gets the space to work on their own without any excess pressure and can bring out their best game to the table. All these factors combine to make a very well-oiled working unit and hence can produce more efficient work.

2. Exceptional end product/work

Each process is broken down into a step-by-step roadmap with checkpoints. This means that each step of the process is analyzed and looked upon with critical understanding before the process goes any further. It also leads to the correction of any possible bugs during the process of production itself.

You see, it’s easier to tackle the problems at their very root cause than to deal with them when the entire product is designed and ready for launch. This kind of testing can also lead to improvement within the product. When the product is tested at every checkpoint it can also lead to new and better ideas which may be more beneficial in the end.

So, the quality check at each step is very useful not only to remove any troubles that arise but also to refine the process and upgrade the product. This all leads to the best quality commodity to be manufactured in the end.

3. Cost & Time effective

The main benefit of using a lean agency is cost-effectiveness. It’s not to say that they charge you very little. But it is the fact that by the use of efficient patterns in decision making, resource management, and production, such agencies can save you money. They reduce the operating cost for you by using less manpower compared to the goliaths of the industry.

This means that the time needed to produce the end product from the time the order is received is reduced in such organizations. This also means that your product/service can be out in the market at the earliest and make a sale. So, you can earn more money compared to your rivals who started with you but instead went to the Big Names and got stuck in their web.

4. Respect

The main motto of lean agencies is to respect everyone may it be clients or the staff. This results in a great work environment and allows everyone to work in a satisfactory and client-focused manner. It also means that the client is really heard here about what they want and how they want to achieve it rather than just being shoved with different schemes and deals in their face (something that happens at the big-name firms).

Also having such a peaceful and respectful atmosphere leads to harmony among the staff and between staff and client. This allows them to understand each other and come to better decisions together.

5. Client Satisfaction

Delivering quality products at the right cost within a smaller time frame leads to higher customer satisfaction. So if you are looking to actually have that small ball of contentment and happiness in your chest when you see the product, lean agencies are to go for.

They will make sure that you get your time and money’s worth. The team won’t hesitate to make any and all accommodations required; to achieve the perfection you dream of, and they aspire to achieve with each project.

So instead of running after the Big Names and Goliaths of the industry, may be looking for alean agency would be more beneficial for you and your business. They will help you achieve the greatness that you wish and deserve.

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