The Number Two Reason Clients Leave Agencies—and How to Fix It

Intro

In the competitive world of digital agencies, client retention is crucial for long-term success. While poor marketing results are the top reason clients leave an agency, the second most common reason—one that is surprisingly easy to fix—relates to their website's performance and reliability. In this article, we'll explore why clients leave when their websites don't function as expected and introduce a simple yet effective framework called the Testing Triad™ to help you retain more clients and grow your revenue.

The Problem: Broken Websites Lead to Client Churn

Clients often leave their agencies because they feel their websites are "broken." This broad term can encompass a range of issues, including:

• Performance Problems: Slow load times, poor accessibility, or suboptimal code can frustrate users and harm a client's business.
• Visual Inaccuracies: Elements that don't appear as expected or align with the client's vision can lead to dissatisfaction.
• Broken Forms and Functionality: Forms that don't submit correctly, broken links, or other functional issues can directly impact a client's revenue.

Shockingly, over 70% of agencies lack a reliable, repeatable process to catch these issues before they affect clients. The result? More support requests, less time to take on new clients, and an increase in client churn due to unresolved website issues.

The Solution: The Testing Triad™ Framework

To address this issue, I developed a framework called the Testing Triad™. This framework provides a systematic approach to ensure that your clients' websites are always performing optimally, thereby reducing churn and increasing your agency's profitability. The Testing Triad™ focuses on three key areas:

1. Performance Testing
2. Structural Testing
3. Functional Testing

Implementing this framework can help you create a new productized service that you can offer as an add-on or upsell to your clients. This not only adds revenue to your bottom line but also provides peace of mind to your clients, which can lead to more referrals and a stronger client-agency relationship.

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Step 1: Performance Testing

Performance testing is about ensuring that your client's website operates smoothly and efficiently. This involves monitoring key metrics like load times, accessibility, and overall code optimization. Regular performance checks help you identify and address issues before they become major problems for your clients.

Tools for Performance Testing:

• Google PageSpeed Insights: A free tool that provides insights into how well a website performs, offering suggestions for improvement. Simply enter the URL, and it will generate a detailed report with performance scores that you can track over time.
• Yellow Lab Tool: Another free tool that analyzes various aspects of web performance, providing a global score that summarizes the overall health of the website.

Implementation Tip: Record the performance scores at regular intervals (e.g., monthly) and after any significant website updates. This allows you to monitor trends and quickly identify any performance degradation.

Step 2: Structural Testing

Structural testing ensures that the underlying HTML and visual rendering of the website remain consistent after updates. This step is crucial because even minor changes in the website's structure can lead to unexpected visual or functional issues.

HTML Regression Testing: - Capture the website's HTML before and after an update using browser tools (e.g., right-click and select "View Page Source" in Chrome). - Use a free tool like Text Compare to automate the comparison between the pre- and post-update HTML files. This helps you quickly spot any unintended changes.

Visual Regression Testing: - Capture screenshots of the website before and after an update. - Use a tool like Img2go Image Compare to compare these screenshots and identify any visual discrepancies. The tool provides an objective percentage difference score, making it easier to assess changes.

Implementation Tip: Make sure to document the date and details of each test, allowing you to track changes over time and ensure consistency.

Step 3: Functional Testing

Functional testing involves checking that all interactive elements on the website work as expected. This includes testing navigation links, forms, and buttons to ensure they perform their intended functions.

Tools for Functional Testing:

• Chrome DevTools Recorder: This built-in Chrome tool allows you to record your interactions with the website (e.g., filling out forms, clicking buttons) and replay them automatically. This repeatable process saves time and ensures consistency in testing.
• Advanced Tools: For more technical users, tools like Selenium, Puppeteer, and Playwright offer powerful automation capabilities for functional testing. These tools allow for deep testing, including creating assertions and capturing screenshots.

Implementation Tip: Record functional tests once and replay them after each website update to ensure everything continues to work as expected.

Putting It All Together: The Benefits of the Testing Triad™

By implementing the Testing Triad™, your agency can proactively address website issues before they escalate into client complaints. This not only reduces the number of support requests but also strengthens your relationship with clients by demonstrating your commitment to maintaining their websites' performance and reliability.

Moreover, offering this as a productized service—either as an add-on or an upsell—can significantly boost your agency's revenue. Clients are more likely to stay with an agency that provides peace of mind through proactive maintenance, and the structured approach of the Testing Triad™ can set your agency apart from competitors.

If the idea of implementing this framework seems daunting, tools like Scanner (the company I work for) can automate this entire process, allowing you to focus on other areas of your business.

Conclusion

The number two reason clients leave agencies—feeling that their websites are broken—is entirely preventable with the right approach. By adopting the Testing Triad™ framework, you can ensure your clients' websites are always performing at their best, reducing churn and increasing your agency's profitability. Start implementing these practices today to build stronger client relationships and create new revenue streams for your agency.

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