> have gotten good at selling the contract but not so good at delivering
This has been a problem beyond "recent years". In part because of splitting the sales function from the technical function - which is many agencies as soon as they decide on growth vs specialization.
For clients with a little more time and budget - i.e. a little more forethought in general, it's good reason to hire someone more broadly technically competent or at least aware just to help with the process of hiring more specialized work. At least the first time around it can end up being a recursive problem: if you hire a hiring advisor who has their mind locked on just one way to do things, then you just shot yourself in the foot.
This has been a problem beyond "recent years". In part because of splitting the sales function from the technical function - which is many agencies as soon as they decide on growth vs specialization.
For clients with a little more time and budget - i.e. a little more forethought in general, it's good reason to hire someone more broadly technically competent or at least aware just to help with the process of hiring more specialized work. At least the first time around it can end up being a recursive problem: if you hire a hiring advisor who has their mind locked on just one way to do things, then you just shot yourself in the foot.