The drop showed that Scient, based in San Francisco, and its competitors were vulnerable to the shifting fortunes of their dot-com clients.

The agency executives, for their part, said working with dot-com clients was more tense and time pressured but offered more teamwork.

MarchFirst tried to stem its losses by abandoning dot-com clients late last year and, later, by laying off employees.

We didn't even have any dot-com clients.

Moreover, its chief issue may be how to regain the revenue momentum that vanished along with so many of its dot-com clients.

For some time, many agencies have been asking dot-com clients for cash up front.

In retrospect, the merger hastened the company's decline by reinforcing its dependence on dot-com clients and Internet-oriented services.

Peter Dolch, the president of the company, provided space for dot-com clients as an informal service.

And unlike so many of its dot-com clients, the company was for a short time making a profit.

Many agencies are asking potential dot-com clients for cash up front, typically payments equal to 60 days' worth of fees.