What Does an Account Manager Do, According to 9 Account Managers and Their Bosses

What is the role of an account manager? What do they do on a day to day basis?

Learn about the essential duties and responsibilities of an account manager, as discussed by experts.

The key challenge for an account manager is to balance the needs of the customer with the needs of the business

For me, a great customer relationship is when we get that balance spot on. When we do that, it drives organic growth, our clients trust us to deliver a great quality service at a cost-efficient price, and when that happens, they engage with us to look at how we can work together to expand the offering.

We listen to our clients.

We are honest and open and when things do go wrong, which inevitably they do, clients measure us on how we respond, how we communicate and ultimately resolve the issue, that’s what they will remember. I like our clients to feel that we understand their business and that if they have an issue or a challenge they can pick up the phone and talk to us and we can bounce ideas around.

We’re an innovative company that looks for tailored solutions that work for them. We actively encourage our clients to talk to subject matter experts within the business, so they don’t feel communications are controlled, rather than their account manager who is there to support and represent them and that we are a whole team looking after them.

A great account manager serves as the connection between the client, sales, and operations

You must be a quick thinker, decisive, and definitely a multi-tasker!

In our company, an Account Manager is the central person in maintaining a relationship with our clients after a sale is complete. Our goal is not only to retain their business but also learn how to address and even anticipate their needs.

We make sure that they get the absolute most from the services they have implemented. To do this successfully, you must not only fully understand your company’s business, but also your clients.

On any given day, our Account Management team is meeting with customers, working with data in a CRM platform, assisting in the sales process, or promoting new products and services.

Every activity, in some way, is to make sure that clients are communicated to and most importantly, feel valued.

Account managers do it all. We make sure campaigns run smoothly and communication with the client and sales manager is always constant even if a million things are going on at the same time.

An account manager is responsible for maintaining a good client experience

We ensure that each client feels special, has a good experience, and can trust that we will produce quality work while exceeding time limits or expectations.

Because we spend the most time with the clients after a deal has been sold, we are also responsible for walking them through tasks such as how to place an order. Therefore, providing the relief that someone will always be there if help is needed.

Lastly, working for the benefit of both the client and the company, we are opportunistic and work to upsell products at the perfect time.

In my case, working for a handwritten note company, an upsell would consist of a custom font or specialized stationery. Thus, generating more revenue for the company while also considering the client’s unique needs.

An account managers job is to develop strong relationships with their clients

They work in partnership with them to ensure that their needs are understood and satisfied. A successful account manager should ‘think like the customer,’ get into their mindset and understand their challenges and problems.

You need to be there in their moment of need, especially when you’ve failed them. In these times you should be the conduit between you and the rest of business, someone else might have created the problem but ultimately your responsible no matter what.

Account managers facilitate the relationship between company and client

As anyone who’s been in a relationship can tell you, it’s not easy. The AM has to manage communication between the two parties and make sure (to the best of her ability) that everyone’s needs are met.

As we drift further into a relationship economy, you really have to personalize your products and services, even in B2B. Plus, people are stretched thin. That’s why an AM is so important.

Your client needs to know that if they need something, they only have to talk to one person and that one person knows their brand and business well enough to really represent their interests.

We work with a lot of different investors and partners. Every project at PanIQ Room has a dedicated account manager, who coordinate the processes.

• Consultation. They consult with our suppliers and they control the design process.
• Liaison. They function as a bridge between the stakeholders of each project, it’s their responsibility to inform the franchisees on time and they have to represent the Franchisor’s interest in certain questions.
• On-site Manager. Normally they also drive the pre-opening phase on-site, which means they control the construction, theming and puzzle installation.
• Training. They are also involved in the training a little bit since the franchisees trust them.

An account manager can have multiple responsibilities depending on your boss and your industry.

Client management

For starters, they manage multiple clients which means making sure all projects for the client are done well, delivered by a specific date, and even maintain client communication.

The account manager is responsible for specific client work but also checks in with other employees that are also working on that specific client. They not only manage the client but also manage and work with other employees to make sure the clients’ needs are fully satisfied.

Account managers for most teams handle qualified leads and attempt to close them on the sale

Account managers typically have a base salary and then an OTE (on-target earnings) compensation package, where they make commissions off accounts sold.

On a day to day basis, account managers are usually doing product demonstrations, making calls to prospects in their pipeline and following up on email with their clients. In smaller organizations, account managers may also take up some of the SDR styles of work of cold-prospecting.

In our experience, great account managers act as true ambassadors for their clients

These ambassadors work to understand the clients’ goals, preferences, and expectations, and then build a strategy for the project and manage it under those same guidelines.

A client should trust that the account manager will accurately represent their interests when scaling a project. This is why the feedback stage of onboarding is so crucial.

Frequent collaboration and honest communication between the client and manager on the initial stages of the project almost always lead to successful campaigns.

We believe that when you approach account management in this way, you can truly be an extension of the clients’ business and vision, rather than just a vendor for an outsourced project.