The Operator's AI Brief
What Forrester Says Agencies Will Charge For Next
Forrester forecast deeper agency job cuts in 2026 and a shift away from hourly billing. Here is what that means for your invoice.
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The audio is AI-produced: an AI clone of Jon's voice and an AI co-host, reading a script built from the sources below.
Forrester forecast on October 1, 2025 that marketing agencies would cut headcount by 15% in 2026, after an average 8% cut in 2025. That is a prediction, and I found no Forrester follow-up confirming the cut happened. Even so, the pricing change that came with it matters to anyone who pays an agency.
A forecast, with a pricing shift attached
Forrester’s Predictions 2026 post on marketing agencies puts the numbers at an average 8% headcount cut in 2025 and a forecast 15% cut in 2026. It treats the 2026 figure as a projection. A year later, I have no measured result to set beside it.
The same post says agencies move from being paid for labor hours toward outcomes-based, fixed-fee, or product models. Forrester’s point is that once agencies stop earning mainly from talent delivery, the nature of what an agency offers changes.
What it changes for a small business
Under hourly billing, the invoice shows hours times a rate. Under a flat monthly fee, it can stop showing who did what. A flat fee can be a fair deal. It can also hide how much of your account a person handles and how much a tool handles. Forrester does not say that. It is my reading of what the shift means for a client reading an invoice.
A clear answer from your agency helps you judge the fee. A vague answer tells you something too.