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300 billion dollars<\/strong>. That\u2019s what searching and working with the wrong service provider<\/strong> in 2024 is costing companies worldwide. With agencies popping up everywhere, AI changing the game, and fierce competition from brands in your industry, it\u2019s scary to think that your providers are not ensuring your business gets ahead nor taking steps to minimize risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our CMO, Nicolas Finet, said it before: \u201cIn the last few years, the number of agencies have exploded, as well as the number of disciplines (SEO, social media, activation, conversation, content marketing). It\u2019s a very confusing landscape for brands, and knowing exactly who to work with becomes, all of a sudden, an unmet challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that having the right partner quickly becomes your competitive asset<\/strong> when it comes to getting ahead of the game, and hence why searching for the right one is a defining move for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s a time-consuming process<\/strong> and, if done wrong, can lead to wasted opportunities<\/strong>. Those aren\u2019t just words\u2014read on to know exactly how much you may be losing by not finding the right provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Working with the wrong agency costs +300 billion globally\u2014so the search is important<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The right providers are a strategic asset to economies and companies worldwide. In fact, businesses expect a 15% growth thanks to working with the right partner.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Sortlist Company Survey<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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But, on average, 25% of collaborations fail within the first 6 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Sortlist Company Survey<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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What does this lost opportunity mean for the global economy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Broken down by country, we took public data regarding economic performance and GDP for several markets and calculated the opportunity costs<\/strong> of businesses that search for an agency yearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Specifically, we calculated the expected growth from working with the right partner and the missed growth happening during those wasted 6 months for those who didn\u2019t find the right partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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You can see it yourself\u2014the stakes are huge. So we dug into the search process through external research, internal data, and company surveys to understand it better. That is, where are companies searching, who inside them is actually doing the search, how much time is devoted to each step of the process, and how could they regain some of those sunk costs and time spent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The anatomy of a provider search<\/mdspan><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Every year, around the world there are 7,152,345 companies searching for a provider to help their business grow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Ahrefs, internal Sortlist data, and World Bank data<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Of those companies that do work with providers frequently, 63% have searched for a provider in the last 6 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Sortlist Company Survey<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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On average, companies who regularly work with external providers search for a new one every 9 months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Finding the perfect match: how companies search for providers<\/mdspan><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Out of those searching, 65% have used Google<\/strong>. And 18% say they search for providers through networking<\/strong> events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Only 6% search through social media and word-of-mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Sortlist Company Survey<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Time keeps ticking on the search<\/mdspan><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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When it comes to the time spent searching, overall, each person spends around 15 hours of active time<\/strong> on the process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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On average it\u2019s the final decision-making stage that takes the longest, about 3 hours and 36 minutes of active time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Sortlist Company Survey<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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In the context of the 7,152,345 companies searching for a provider, 15 total search hours amount to a total of 107,285,175 hours of search in a year. This means that, all around the world, companies are losing 638,600 working weeks<\/strong> every year searching for a provider.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Looking at time spent and success rate, there is little correlation between time spent on the search and the future success of the partnership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those whose success rate is over 90% in fact spend 32% less time searching for their provider than those who have a success rate of 50% or less. That indicates it\u2019s experience, knowledge, and network that has the greatest influence on success, not time spent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\n \n <\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https://www.canva.com/design/DAGWQvm-v7E/p3pLS-dTOKonKKvi80a8fw/view?utm_content=DAGWQvm-v7E&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=embeds&utm_source=link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">EN time-spent-success-rate<\/a> by Sortlist\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, those who have a 90% success rate spend relatively their time on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Initial search and building a shortlist<\/strong>: +0.84% <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reaching out to agencies<\/strong>: -38.54% decrease<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Arranging and attending meetings with agencies<\/strong>: -59.86% decrease<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Evaluating agencies and aligning with stakeholders<\/strong>: -40.93% decrease<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Final decision-making process<\/strong>: -32.75% decrease<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-top: 75.0000%;\n padding-bottom: 0; box-shadow: 0 2px 8px 0 rgba(63,69,81,0.16); margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.9em; overflow: hidden;\n border-radius: 8px; will-change: transform;\">\n <iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0; border: none; padding: 0;margin: 0;\"\n src=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/design\/DAGWQhCcxZ4\/SJFFXqeBscgB9XqPNVl3rA\/view?embed\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"fullscreen\">\n <\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https://www.canva.com/design/DAGWQhCcxZ4/SJFFXqeBscgB9XqPNVl3rA/view?utm_content=DAGWQhCcxZ4&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=embeds&utm_source=link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Copy of EN Cost of an agency search – Graphs<\/a> by Sortlist\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, there is an <strong>average decrease of 31.55%<\/strong> in the time spent across all steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p>For companies in the tech and financial industries, the process takes 18% longer, but it is notable that the initial search itself takes 52% longer overall (4.7 hours of active searching time), due to more stringent technical and regulatory requirements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/9.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1234\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/9.png 500w, https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/9-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/9-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">Who’s on the hunt: mostly Operations and C-suite<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Of those searching for a provider every year, <strong>almost half<\/strong> belong in the Operations department of companies. And barely 1 in 5 are C-level executives (CEOs, CMOs, finance directors, etc.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/people-searching.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1218\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/people-searching.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/people-searching-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/people-searching-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Source: Sortlist Company Survey<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"section-cost-of-search\" class=\"gutenberg-block gutenberg--section\" style=\"background-color:rgb(247,228,222);\">\n <div class=\"overlay\" style=\"background-color:\"><\/div> \n <div class=\"gutenberg--section__wrapper wrapper\">\n \n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size\">The cost of the search to companies: over 6.5 billion dollars<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"section-636a431247d2b\" class=\"gutenberg-block gutenberg--section\" style=\"background-image:url();\">\n <div class=\"overlay\" style=\"background-color:\"><\/div> \n <div class=\"gutenberg--section__wrapper wrapper\">\n \n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-bottom is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>As you\u2019ve seen, the cost of the search is directly related to those doing it. So if we focus on the company costs for each person doing the searching, we can have a clearer picture on the amount of <mdspan datatext=\"el1731412110962\" class=\"mdspan-comment\">salary spent <\/mdspan>for each search done wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Job title<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Wage cost (wages spent on a 15-hour search, in USD$)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>CEO<\/td><td>1,376.23<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>CMO<\/td><td>1,370.66<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Communications Manager<\/td><td>764.01<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>CFO<\/td><td>1,443<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>IT Director<\/td><td>1,259.61<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Procurement Manager<\/td><td>881.01<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Project Manager<\/td><td>838.96<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Marketing Manager<\/td><td>728.91<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Business Development Manager<\/td><td>795.99<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Brand Manager<\/td><td>830.7<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sales Director<\/td><td>974.71<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Creative Director<\/td><td>1,083.81<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Operations Manager<\/td><td>702.99<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Account Manager<\/td><td>670.44<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking an average of all the employees we found that it’s costing companies approximately $61<strong> <\/strong>per hour to search for an agency. In 15 hours that\u2019s <strong>$915<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the 7.1 million companies searching globally for a provider, those $915 add up to <strong>$6.5 billion<\/strong> (exactly $6,544,395,675) for every unproductive search and collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if we look at the complete picture:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>$6.5 billion in salary cost during search + $375 billion in opportunity cost for growth<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>= <strong>$382 billion<\/strong> (exactly $381,795,850,781) <strong>for companies that aren\u2019t searching well.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p>If, then, we divide that by the 7.1 million companies doing the searches, we\u2019ll see that it\u2019s costing each company <strong>around $53,381<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s significant, especially when considering that the annual salary of positions like digital marketer and data analyst is around $37k and 45k, respectively, in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/EN-Cost-of-an-agency-search-Pop-stats-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/EN-Cost-of-an-agency-search-Pop-stats-2.png 500w, https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/EN-Cost-of-an-agency-search-Pop-stats-2-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/EN-Cost-of-an-agency-search-Pop-stats-2-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"section-lost-opportunities\" class=\"gutenberg-block gutenberg--section\" style=\"background-color:rgb(231,244,238);\">\n <div class=\"overlay\" style=\"background-color:\"><\/div> \n <div class=\"gutenberg--section__wrapper wrapper\">\n \n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size\">Time is money, but opportunities lost represent more money<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"section-636a431247d2b\" class=\"gutenberg-block gutenberg--section\" style=\"background-image:url();\">\n <div class=\"overlay\" style=\"background-color:\"><\/div> \n <div class=\"gutenberg--section__wrapper wrapper\">\n \n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-bottom is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>When you\u2019re searching for a service provider, it\u2019s tempting to prioritize speed above all else. After all, the quicker you can select a provider, the sooner you can proceed with your projects. But while accelerating the search process is undoubtedly important, it\u2019s crucial to recognize that speed should not come at the expense of quality. The real financial impact isn\u2019t just in the time spent searching; it\u2019s in the <strong>opportunities missed<\/strong> by not partnering with the right provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/time-spent-success-rate-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/time-spent-success-rate-1.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/time-spent-success-rate-1-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.blog.production.sortlist.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/11\/time-spent-success-rate-1-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Choosing the right agency is more than a checkbox on your to-do list\u2014it\u2019s a strategic decision that can significantly influence your company\u2019s trajectory. An ill-suited partnership can lead to project delays, subpar results, and even damage your brand\u2019s reputation. These setbacks don\u2019t just cost you time; they cost you valuable opportunities for growth, revenue, and competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, the ultimate goal is to make your time count by securing a partnership that <strong>propels your business forward<\/strong>. Because in business, lost opportunities often carry a higher price tag than the time invested to capture them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"section-conclusion\" class=\"gutenberg-block gutenberg--section\" style=\"background-color:rgb(232,237,252);\">\n <div class=\"overlay\" style=\"background-color:\"><\/div> \n <div class=\"gutenberg--section__wrapper wrapper\">\n \n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"section-636a431247d2b\" class=\"gutenberg-block gutenberg--section\" style=\"background-image:url();\">\n <div class=\"overlay\" style=\"background-color:\"><\/div> \n <div class=\"gutenberg--section__wrapper wrapper\">\n \n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-bottom is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The stakes have never been higher when it comes to selecting the right service provider. The sheer volume of agencies and the complexity from new technologies, such as AI, make the whole process not just daunting but also full of financial implications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can\u2019t overlook the substantial opportunity costs that occur here\u2014the revenue and growth potential missed while spending excessive time searching for a provider. And the risks of partnering with the wrong agency can lead to failed projects, wasted resources, and a big setback in achieving your business objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every hour spent on an inefficient search is an hour not invested in strategic initiatives that drive growth, and every misaligned partnership is a hurdle to success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where Sortlist comes into play. With Sortlist you simplify the agency selection process by connecting with a curated list of top-performing service providers tailored to your specific needs. With our combination of expert insight and an advanced matching algorithm, we can ensure you make the right choice the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can search for your next provider yourself, or you can use Sortlist to turn the task of finding the right service provider into a strategic advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"section-methodology\" class=\"gutenberg-block gutenberg--section\" style=\"background-color:rgb(241,237,234);\">\n <div class=\"overlay\" style=\"background-color:\"><\/div> \n <div class=\"gutenberg--section__wrapper wrapper\">\n \n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size\">Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"section-636a431247d2b\" class=\"gutenberg-block gutenberg--section\" style=\"background-image:url();\">\n <div class=\"overlay\" style=\"background-color:\"><\/div> \n <div class=\"gutenberg--section__wrapper wrapper\">\n \n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-bottom is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This report is the result of a surveys carried out between October 8th and October 22nd, 2024, to 500 companies about their agency and provider search habits and time frames. Its responses are anonymous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This report also uses internal data leveraged from Sortlist regarding the number of projects that arrive on its platform, as well as external search data from Google and Ahrefs and public data from the <mdspan datatext=\"el1731412259124\" class=\"mdspan-comment\">World Bank, the Indeed Salary Guide, and public data from the United Kingdom government website the National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies in both France and Spain, and data from the North American Industry Classification System.<\/mdspan><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":102,"featured_media":1217,"template":"","reports_categories":[4],"class_list":["post-1213","reports","type-reports","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","reports_categories-marketing-reports"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n<title>The Agency Search Report: Wrong Matches Cost $300B in 2024<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The true cost of choosing an agency goes beyond time, affecting growth, opportunities, and long-term success.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sortlist.co.uk\/datahub\/reports\/cost-of-choosing-an-agency\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Agency Search Report: Wrong Matches Cost $300B in 2024\" \/>\n<meta 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