There are several roles a sales office must fill to work well and increase its revenue. One position that’s there to provide answers to customers’ queries is an account manager. Learning the most vital keys for becoming a trusted account managermakes you an asset to any business.
Individualize Your Approach
Remember that what succeeds for one customer may not work for the other. Building a strong connection with a few individuals, co-workers, and previous AMs might give you an inside look at the details they are looking for. Then, fit their specific set of requirements. When a consumer detects that you are merely going through the motions, you are significantly less likely to obtain high levels of customer satisfaction. A deeper working connection with your main accounts will help you overcome this stumbling block.
Become a Helpful Intermediary
Primary account managers must listen carefully, convey the client’s demands to the appropriate individuals within the business, and fulfill the client’s wishes efficiently and punctually. By satisfying them consistently at the drop of a hat, you will gain their trust for the long haul. No one will come away happy without you completing your duties as a helpful intermediary. But you can increase your revenue when you facilitate things correctly.
Take the Initiative
Anyone who grabs the bull by the horns and takes the initiative is someone we can put our faith in. Think about when you are dining out, and the server is there with a re-fill before you bother to ask. That’s someone you reward handsomely with a hefty tip and increase the probability you return to that establishment. You can say the same about the best account managers. Being proactive leaves a lasting impression that pays dividends.
Become an Accurate Forecaster
Stay as ahead of the curve as possible; anticipate your customers’ demands and organize your team to answer them as soon as possible. Consider what comparable customers have required in the past and how the present economic condition may affect this specific firm. Few things are more impressive than being able to anticipate the demands of your major accounts.
Collaborate as a Team
Rather than attempting to manage everything on your own, a great account manager establishes collaborative methods for accomplishing their objectives. Go into the relationship knowing that walking together will help everyone get the most out of it. If you’re stubborn and only want to do things your way, it has little chance of working for either side.
As an account manager, you have the difficult responsibility of managing and preserving your company’s most critical commercial connections. And following these keys for becoming a trusted account manager will always have you and your company on the way up.
Emilie St. John is a freelance journalist who appears weekly in the Los Angeles Wave newspaper and can be reached at [email protected].