Do you think a cookie cutter approach has to be used by these bigger vendors because they have difficulty scaling to meet client demands? How many accounts can one account manager maintain and service with solid results?
Brian,
This answer to your question is probably yes (cookie cutter does equal scale), but this definitely is on a case by case basis. Here are the overarching categories I've seen:
BIG BOX
Some of the larger agencies still frack out a specialty team of sales reps and account managers for their high spend, large group clients. They approach the rest of their clients on a burn and churn basis: high volume & low touch retail model. Their account manager can manage over 100 dealers at one time, but it's mainly to react or send a monthly "here's how you did". On the flip side, they have the funding to afford some high tech solutions. Typically their funding also allows for in-house fulfillment, but you can't get a good turn around time because so many clients are using them!
BOUTIQUE
These agencies are well funded, so they can afford high levels of technologies. They are also small, so their account managers have limits placed on them (no more than 20 accounts). They also don't take direct competitors to their clients. They also offer very custom approaches to their strategies and have their own fulfillment teams. This is the best of both worlds! You can get someone on the phone. They visit their clients. And they're transparent/integrated with your dealership.
MOM & POP
These agencies are usually very strategic, offer great ideas (usually an extension of a one-man-show or 'racehorse' digital guy who's been pretty successful on his own). They have time to devote to you because they don't have a lot of clients, and their level of attention to you is top notch. However, because they don't have a lot of clients, they can't offer a consultative approach to your entire supply chain from advertising to sales and 'what works' across a large portfolio - because they don't have the insights into one. They also lack funding, so their reporting is either in monthly slide shows or free analytics reports, or they simply email your stats in text. Finally, they typically outsource all of their services. So when they say they'll deliver something with a 3-day turnaround, it's because they're placing an order or ticket with a 'big box' agency somewhere else (or a fulfillment agency in another country).
I hope this helps! I didn't name any names on purpose.