We’re a UK wedding & events business. DPOM managed our Google Ads Mar–Oct 2025. After living through declining results, minimal transparency, and a protracted exit, my advice is to proceed with extreme caution.What actually happened (the short version)Performance fell off a cliff July–Sept (e.g., conversions dropped from early-summer highs to ~⅓ by September; CPA spiked ~3–4×).No proactive guidance while results slid. I had to chase a call on 25 Sept to ask what was happening.Change history shows long inactivity (including an entire 17 Jul–17 Aug billing period with zero logged changes) and flurries of small edits near billing dates.“A/B testing included” in our package, but no structured tests were ever shared (no hypotheses, variants, dates, results).Cancellation required an unmonitored mailbox + web form and was met with aggressive, boilerplate replies about notice/billing rather than any attempt to fix things.Communication & meetingsSecuring a meeting felt like pulling teeth. Messages often went unanswered until chased, and suggested times were pushed back. When concerns were finally raised, answers focused on defending the status quo rather than proposing a plan.“Testing” vs actual A/B testingThe contract promised “essential A/B testing.” In practice, we saw:Occasional match-type toggles (phrase/exact),Some negative keywords added,Bid tweaks—…with no test plan, no variant naming, no start/stop dates, no success criteria, and no write-ups. That’s hygiene, not an A/B programme. We were given no guidance on ad copy (headlines/descriptions) or creative refresh, despite this being one of the biggest levers in search performance.Transparency & change historyDPOM repeatedly argued “analysis isn’t visible in the change log.” Fair point: analysis isn’t logged. But outcomes of good analysis are—namely, timely and documented optimisations. What we saw were extended gaps and clusters of tiny edits near billing. If there was a serious testing programme, show the register. We were never given one until pressed, and even then it wasn’t a structured test log.“Seasonality” (pre-empting the inevitable)Yes, Q4 demand is lower in our sector. That’s not the issue. The issue is lack of proactive management while performance fell—no early warning, no plan to shift strategy (e.g., future-wedding intent, remarketing, creative refresh, location/schedule refinement). Citing seasonality after the fact is not a strategy.The “last 30 days” defenceWe were repeatedly shown “last 30 vs previous 30” where conversions were up a few and CPA down a bit—after we escalated. That modest uptick doesn’t erase multiple months of decline and silence. It reads as reactive damage control, not evidence of a consistent programme.Cancellation experienceCancellation was needlessly painful: an unmonitored mailbox auto-reply, form-only process, and a tone that felt more like threats about “continued billing” than a professional off-boarding. We requested final dates and closed the door.Likely DPOM replies & our responses (so there’s no confusion)“Seasonality explains it.”We know. We factored that in. We expected proactive leadership, not weeks of drift.“Change logs don’t show analysis.”Correct. But they do show the timing and substance of actions. Long gaps and last-minute edits don’t look like an active, structured programme.“Keyword/match/bid tests are A/B testing.”They can be part of testing, but structured testing has hypotheses, variants, dates, KPIs, and results. We were shown none of that while performance fell.“We improved the last 30 days.”Only after we escalated. A slight CPA improvement and a couple more conversions doesn’t rehabilitate months of decline without communication.“Contract requires 31-day notice.”We honoured notice. That doesn’t excuse poor service delivery leading up to it, nor does it require leaving the account in their MCC during notice.VerdictIn my opinion, this was reactive, opaque account stewardship with poor meeting discipline, no visible test programme, and a frustrating cancellation process. We’ve moved on.Advice to other advertisersOwn your ad account. Don’t let anyone run it solely in their MCC.Ask for a test register. Hypothesis, variants, dates, KPI, results—every month.Review change history monthly. Watch for long gaps and end-of-cycle edits.Expect creative leadership. If no one touches ads/LPs, you’re burning money.Have an exit plan. Back up campaigns/search terms/change history before any parting of ways.
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