How to protect client ownership when partnering with a technical provider

For a design consultancy, the client relationship is everything. Here’s how to partner with a technical provider without putting it at risk.

The most common concern we hear from design consultancies considering a technical partner isn’t about capability or cost. It’s this: “What if they go direct to my client?”

It’s a fair question. Your client relationship is your most valuable asset, and it’s sensible to protect it. Here’s how.

1. Put it in writing. A clear agreement should include confidentiality, non-solicitation of your clients, and a statement of who owns what. If a partner is reluctant to agree to this, treat that as a warning sign.

2. Agree on communication. Decide up front who speaks to the client, and when. In many cases the consultancy handles all client communication, and the technical partner communicates only with you.

3. Keep branding consistent. Deliverables can be presented under your name, in your format. The client sees one team.

4. Control access. You decide what information is shared with your partner and how. Sensitive client details can be restricted to what’s needed.

5. Be clear about intellectual property. Who owns the designs, data and any new inventions created during the project? This should be agreed before work starts, and normally sits with the client or the consultancy, not the partner.

6. Choose the right partner. Beyond the paperwork, look at attitude. A good partner understands that their role is to make you look good and to make your client successful. They should be comfortable working in the background, and be happy to earn their place through the quality of their work.

7. Start small if you want to. A trial on a modest project lets you see how the partner behaves before you commit to something bigger.

The principle is simple: you keep the client, we provide the capability. A partnership works only when both sides understand that and act accordingly.

If you’d like to discuss how we handle this, talk to us about partnership.