Start with the actual agreement
List the service purchased, its objectives, deliverables, exclusions and responsibilities. Was the agency hired to advise, implement, produce content or manage campaigns? Identify what your business was expected to supply, such as approvals, product information or developer time.
Then compare the current activity with that brief. If the objective has changed, acknowledge it and agree a revised plan. Holding an agency to an unstated requirement is as unhelpful as accepting unexplained work.
Ask for the path from activity to outcome
A useful report connects work to a reason: which problem was addressed, which pages or audiences were affected, what changed and what happened next. The result may be better tracking, fewer failed enquiries, improved coverage or more qualified sales opportunities.
Some outcomes take longer to assess, and external changes may affect performance. Ask the agency to distinguish completed work, observed results and interpretation. A chart going upwards does not establish which action caused it.
Use a practical review table
| Review area | Evidence to request |
|---|---|
| Priorities | A short plan tied to commercial objectives |
| Delivery | Completed changes, live examples and outstanding dependencies |
| Measurement | Definitions and reconciliation with real enquiries or sales |
| Learning | What worked, what did not and the next decision |
| Ownership | Your access to accounts, reporting and agreed handover materials |
Adjust the evidence to the service. A content engagement and a technical migration should not be judged using the same task checklist.
Check the quality of enquiries, not only their number
Ask sales or operations what happened to the enquiries received. Did they match your service, location and likely budget? Were messages delivered and followed up? Weak handling after submission can make successful acquisition look ineffective.
Equally, a rising lead count may be driven by spam or unsuitable requests. Agree what counts as a qualified enquiry and identify how the information is captured without creating unnecessary administration.
Make the next review a decision meeting
Send the questions in advance. Choose a small number of important gaps, request evidence and agree actions with named owners. Resolve access or approval bottlenecks on your side as well as delivery issues on theirs.
Possible decisions include continuing the current approach, correcting measurement, changing priorities, adding implementation capacity or arranging an orderly transition. Independent oversight can help when technical explanations are difficult to assess, but it should make the work clearer rather than add another reporting layer.
Common questions
Should we leave if rankings have not improved?
Rankings are one input. Review the timescale, scope, relevant traffic, completed work and business outcomes before deciding.
Who should own advertising and analytics accounts?
Ownership and access should be explicit in the agreement. Your business needs appropriate continuity and visibility if the supplier changes.
What is a warning sign?
Repeatedly missing agreed deliverables, inability to show completed work or unexplained reporting inconsistencies deserve investigation.