Everyone knows managing client feedback is tough. You’ve got the client, the client’s boss, maybe their legal team, sometimes even a separate marketing team. That’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen. It’s easy to assume the problem is just… too many people.
That’s not the problem.
The real problem isn’t the number of approvers. It’s the lack of a clear, efficient process for gathering, synthesizing, and acting on their input. It’s the chaos that erupts when feedback is scattered, contradictory, or simply ignored.
This isn’t about managing personalities. It’s about managing workflow.
1. The Illusion of Consensus
Many teams operate under the assumption that if you just get everyone in a room (or on a call), they’ll magically agree. Or, that if you present options, the 'right' one will emerge.
This is a dangerous fantasy.
Multiple approvers rarely lead to consensus. They lead to competing priorities, subjective opinions disguised as objective critiques, and scope creep disguised as 'small tweaks'.
The Symptoms of Approver Chaos
- Endless rounds of revisions with no clear direction.
- Conflicting feedback from different stakeholders that’s impossible to reconcile.
Frequently asked questions
What's the biggest mistake agencies make when dealing with multiple approvers?
The biggest mistake is focusing on the number of people, rather than the process. Agencies assume more people means more complexity, but the real issue is often a lack of a structured system for collecting, organizing, and acting on feedback.
How can I get clearer feedback from multiple stakeholders?
Establish clear roles and expectations upfront. Define who has final say, what criteria feedback should be based on, and set deadlines for input. Use a centralized platform to ensure all feedback is visible and trackable, reducing the chance of misinterpretation or missed comments.
What if approvers give conflicting feedback?
This is where a designated point person or a clear escalation path is crucial. The project manager or account lead needs to be empowered to synthesize conflicting feedback, identify the core issues, and present a unified recommendation or seek clarification from the client leadership before proceeding.
How does a tool like Revue help with multiple approvers?
Revue centralizes feedback, making it visible to all stakeholders. This transparency helps prevent conflicting comments from being made in silos. It also provides a clear audit trail of revisions and approvals, ensuring accountability and reducing the likelihood of scope creep or misunderstandings.