The role of an Account Manager is to be a trusted liaison between a company and its clients. An Account Manager works closely with clients to identify their needs and then develops products or services that address those needs. They may create and manage internal budgets, schedules, and deliverables. Some Account Managers are responsible for soliciting new customers, although this is usually handled by a salesperson who then hands off the account to the Account Manager.
What does an Account Manager do, typically?
Is a “people person”
This type of professional is the face of a company to a client. The Account Manager’s primary job is to build and nurture a long-lasting relationship with the client by gaining a deep understanding of the client’s needs, and then developing tactics that will deliver the most appropriate products or services.
Knows what the company can offer the client
This type of employee works cross-departmentally with sales, advertising, and product development to ensure the client is served appropriately, and finds opportunities to provide new sales opportunities with existing clients.
Anticipates and solves problems
An Account Manager acts as the point of contact between the company and the client to help solve problems and achieve business goals by building trust and providing strategic and realistic solutions.
Is familiar with customer relationship management (CRM) software
An Account Manager uses CRM software (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.) to monitor and manage client communications and project flow.
An Account Manager is not an Account Executive:
An Account Executive finds new business accounts. An Account Manager manages, maintains, and upsells existing accounts.
Important metrics for an Account Manager
Account Managers focus on metrics that measure the success of their client portfolio. These include:
- customer retention
- revenue growth
- relationship growth
