Pros

Compared to other big agencies, Synovate prides itself to have director level involvement on most projects. This is undoubtedly true, which means junior staff can learn a lot from their more experienced colleagues. The company culture is not very corporate and allows for a more relaxed and collaborative atmosphere. The company's new offices in London are great to work in as well.

Cons

The operations side of the business isn't run very professionally which causes researchers to spend way too much time reworking stuff and being bogged down in minor details. Pay levels are below industry average. Being a heavily sales-driven organisation means that career progression does not always depend on research skills alone but relies more on bringing in business compared to other agencies.

Advice to Senior Management

Invest the necessary time, effort and money into sorting out operations, otherwise the company can't possibly fulfill its potential. Don't just wait for a bigger agency to buy Synovate so the problem takes care of itself.