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An agency can initially be described as a type of company. However, there are different agencies in very different areas.
What an agency is: A definition
The term “agency” comes from the Latin word “agere,” which means to act, do, or be active. In the modern sense, an agency is a form of organization or company that takes on, mediates, or performs certain tasks on behalf of its clients.
- They see themselves as professional service providers who offer their expertise to efficiently implement projects, orders, or communication processes. An agency acts on behalf of third parties and is usually run by a team of experts who specialize in a particular field of work.
- Agencies can be organized by the government or the private sector and often act as intermediaries between different parties—for example, between companies and customers, employers and employees, or suppliers and consumers.
- The goal of an agency is to take on tasks that customers cannot or find difficult to carry out themselves, for example, because they lack expertise, resources, or contacts.
- This is where the agency’s strength comes into play: it pools specialist know-how and experience to deliver customized solutions. In many cases, new orders arise from tenders, competitions, or direct customer inquiries, so agencies have to prove their services on a regular basis.
Examples for agencies
Since agencies are so diverse, it is difficult to provide a generalized description. Examples help to clarify the picture of agencies.
- Government agency: The Federal Employment Agency (often referred to as the employment office) is a government agency that acts as an intermediary between the state, insurance companies, employers, and employees. It offers advice and placement services for employees as well as communication with unemployment insurance. Its expertise lies in job placement and unemployment; it serves as an intermediary and offers services.
- Architectural agency: These are architects who have usually joined forces with several others to form an architectural practice. Their expertise lies in the technical, creative, and economic planning and supervision of buildings. Contracts are often awarded through tenders. Clients can be private individuals for residential buildings, companies for office buildings, or cities for kindergartens or similar, depending on what the agency specializes in.
- Modeling agency: These agencies act as intermediaries between individual models and potential employers, i.e., fashion companies, magazines, photographers, or designers. Their expertise lies in marketing models, industry knowledge, and good contacts. They usually sign models to contracts, which they then develop and find suitable job opportunities for them.
- SEO agency: SEO agencies or online marketing/advertising agencies play a central role. They support companies in improving their visibility on the internet, carry out competitive analyses, develop content strategies, and optimize websites to make them easier to find on search engines such as Google.
- In general: Agencies’ activities are usually project-based, dynamic, and customer-oriented. Since each assignment has specific requirements, agencies must be flexible, recognize trends, and review and adapt their strategies. The work is therefore varied and requires a high degree of organization, communication, and professional competence.
