Choosing a French communication adviser from India: questions that reveal the working model

Who will make the local judgements?

Ask who will actually work on the mandate, who attends leadership discussions and who handles urgent questions. Distinguish the team shown in a pitch from the people whose time is included in the proposal. Test their understanding of a concrete French audience or issue using a short working scenario.

How will headquarters and the French team work together?

Ask which decisions remain with the Indian headquarters, which are delegated locally, and how disagreements are resolved. The proposal should define working languages, approval windows, responsible reviewers and availability. Request an example of a decision note or a question log, not just a process diagram.

What evidence supports the agency’s references?

A logo does not describe a role. Ask when the work happened, whether it was delivered by the current organisation or by individuals in an earlier role, what the team produced and which results can be verified. Anonymised cases can be useful when the sector, situation, scope and evidence are clear. Do not ask for confidential client material that the adviser cannot legitimately disclose.

What does the price actually cover?

Compare scope, seniority, time, translation, specialist input, monitoring, travel and external costs. A monthly retainer and a project fee are comparable only after the assumptions are made explicit. Define what triggers an additional fee, who approves it and how unused or changed scope is handled.

For an India–France engagement, clarify whether French-language drafting, press office work, policy expertise and out-of-hours crisis response are included. None should be inferred from the word “international”.

How will transparency and progress be assessed?

Ask how conflicts, factual checks, confidential information and any applicable public-affairs transparency duties are managed. A credible adviser distinguishes communications from legal advice and does not promise a permit, guaranteed press coverage or certain AI recommendations.

Agree a 90-day review before signing: completed deliverables, unresolved questions, quality of stakeholder understanding, decision usefulness and next priorities. Select an adviser whose method can be inspected and whose responsibility can be identified throughout the mandate.

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