As companies continue to evolve their customer interactions, the account manager role has become increasingly important. They are a key player in any business, working hand-in-hand with the sales and marketing teams. But, unlike traditional salespeople, account managers must also nurture and maintain a healthy relationship with their clients throughout their entire journey.

Companies are recognizing the importance of having dedicated resources to provide the best service to their customers, so it's no surprise that this role is becoming so popular. Clients want a partner they can trust and rely on! Account managers are key to uncovering opportunities where your company can add more value to the client, and with that, coax more budget from them to expand the relationship. This article lists the top skills to assess if you're looking to hire an account manager.

Do we really need them?

An account manager interacts with clients and customers on behalf of the company, making sure their needs are being met. They handle queries, update customers on their accounts, and even act as financial advisors, salespeople, customer service specialists, and technical advisors. So, if you need someone to manage your accounts, an account manager is the way to go! It's key for a company to invest resources into gaining clients and then make sure those clients stay loyal. That's why they hire account managers, who can coordinate all the activities.

Day-to-day tasks of an account manager

- Collaborate with internal departments to ensure that they work towards fulfilling client needs.

- Collect data to understand consumer behavior.

- Resolve client queries.

- Communicate with clients regularly to understand their requirements.

- Work on strategies that might improve the performance of client accounts.

- Keep a record of client activities.

- Work towards developing and maintaining long-term relationships with the client.

- Work closely with the sales team to gain prospective clients.

- Work on forecast reports for individual client accounts.

- Service multiple clients simultaneously.

- Maintain harmony with team members working on the same client account to provide coordinated service.

10 essential qualities to look for while hiring an account manager

Qualities and skills required for an account manager vary from industry to industry and job to job. They focus on keeping the client happy by crafting a strategy that suits their needs. One should have some special skills to be a great account manager. Some account managers are analytical experts and some are super-friendly and outgoing. But no matter what kind of style they have, all effective account managers have a wide range of skills.

Looking broadly across all markets, McKinsey found that 87% of companies have identified a skills gap, or can see one on the horizon. Read on to find out what skills to look for when hiring account managers.

1. Communication/People Skills

Having strong communication skills is imperative for account managers. It's important that they can draft messages, both written and verbal, to employees and clients. This can be done through calls, emails, or in person. It's a key part of their daily tasks, so having good written and verbal skills are essential.

Ever imagined how important communication is? It's so essential! Account managers need to make sure they are speaking up, staying in the loop, and listening carefully. These are the basics, but it's not always easy. They have to be the ones bridging the gap between clients and the rest of the company. Clients rely on them, so account managers need to make sure they are always ready to help them with whatever they require!

2. Organisational Skills/Multi-tasking Ability

To become more efficient and productive, account managers need to develop strong organizational skills. It's all about planning, prioritizing, managing tasks, organizing information, and keeping track of time. With the right strategies and techniques, they can easily set goals and create plans to reach them while meeting deadlines.

While struggling to stay organized when it comes to accounting, there are so many great organization tools out there now, both free and paid, so one can make sure their clients know where their stuff is at all times. It's important to have their business and clients’ business in line, so they can trust the account manager.

Account managers should be able to multitask essentially. It helps them handle multiple tasks and responsibilities all at once, typically with tight deadlines. One needs to be able to manage customer service, financials, sales, marketing, and other administrative duties. Plus, they might be responsible for team management and coordinating with other departments. Multitasking helps an account manager to manage the workload, prioritize tasks, and make sure everything is done on time.

3. Maintaining and building relationships

The account manager should learn about customers and their businesses, and more importantly, the people who make up their team, family, and business. Never underestimate the importance of trying to get to know clients better on a personal level. Rapport and trust should be two of your core values when it comes to managing accounts.

It is so important for account managers to build strong and lasting relationships with their clients. Nurturing those relationships and making sure everyone's on the same page is key. Building trust takes time, but it's also important to be able to adapt to different customer needs. A great account manager knows how to work with different personalities and make sure everyone's happy.

4. Time Management

Having good time management skills is absolutely essential for account managers. They need to be able to set priorities, plan and schedule their work, delegate tasks, stay organized, and use technology to make sure they stay on track. Additionally, they need to be able to multitask and manage their stress levels so they can stay focused on the task at hand and get everything done on time.

For account managers to improve their time management skills, it could be worthwhile for them to read blogs and articles that deal in time management. There might be some small changes that they can make to their daily routine that could save a ton of time.

5. Adaptability

Being an account manager with adaptability means being able to quickly adjust and respond to changes in the environment. They need to be flexible and open to new ideas, as well as be able to handle different tasks and responsibilities. It's important to be able to work with different types of people and personalities in order to be successful. Having the ability to quickly and effectively adjust to changes in customer demands, processes, technology, workplace dynamics, and external factors is key to success as an account manager.

Developing a deeper understanding of the industry, staying up to date with trends, actively seeking out new learning opportunities, and actively engaging in feedback loops are all great ways to be adaptable. Plus, they should be open to change, self-aware, and willing to take risks. Flexibility and the ability to quickly adjust to changing demands and demands, as well as good communication and collaboration skills, are also necessary for adaptability.

6. Empathy

An account manager is responsible for having a deep understanding of their client's needs and being able to empathize with them in order to provide the best customer service. Empathetic skills for an account manager include:

- Having a genuine understanding of their client's needs and concerns

- Listening carefully to their clients in order to identify potential problems before they become an issue

- Making sure that their clients feel heard and understood

- Keeping the client's best interests in mind when making decisions

- Being able to provide solutions that are tailored to their client’s needs

- Showing compassion and understanding for their client's problems and concerns

- Being patient and understanding in difficult situations

- Remain professional, calm, and courteous at all times

7. Passion

A passionate account manager is someone who loves what they do and is committed to helping their clients reach their goals. They have a deep understanding of the account, its needs, and the strategies to reach success. They are creative problem solvers who are eager to learn and stay up-to-date on industry trends. They have excellent communication skills and can effectively collaborate with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. They are passionate about their work and strive to create a positive experience for their clients.

8. Negotiation skills

An account manager is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with clients. To do this, they must be able to effectively negotiate with clients. This involves the ability to identify the needs of the client, understand their perspective, and develop solutions that are agreeable to both parties. Negotiation skills include the ability to listen, empathize, and understand the needs of the client, as well as the ability to present solutions in a persuasive and convincing manner.

Account managers must also be able to read the environment, recognize potential opportunities and risks, and be able to think on their feet. Negotiation is a skill that requires patience, practice, and a thorough understanding of the client’s perspective.

9. Leadership skills

Leadership quality is the ability of a leader to motivate, inspire, and guide their team to success. It involves a combination of qualities such as vision, communication, decision-making, problem-solving, creativity, and the ability to build relationships. A good leader is able to bring out the best in their team and create a strong team spirit. Leadership quality is not just about being a boss; it's about being a mentor, a coach, and a source of motivation for the team. Good leaders have the ability to create an environment of trust, where everyone feels comfortable taking risks and working together.

They also have the ability to delegate tasks and set clear expectations while providing support and guidance. Efficient leaders are also able to recognize and reward good performance and give constructive feedback when needed. Ultimately, leadership quality is about developing effective strategies, inspiring and motivating your team, and making sure the team's goals are met.

10. Customer Service

One of the key goals of an account manager is to build strong relationships with the company's major clients and customers. Understanding the company and the clients and their requirements is essential to resolve their queries with conviction. The ability to devise strategies to address any client or customer dispute or grievance is a requisite. For this, the account manager requires a thorough understanding of the company's account strategy, goals, budget, and market positioning.

An account manager’s job is to provide outstanding customer service to the company's clients. They should be committed to understanding their needs and providing them with the support and guidance they need to be successful, be ready to resolve any complaints or issues in a timely and efficient manner, and provide clients with guidance and assistance in setting up and managing their accounts.

In conclusion, account managers play a key role in the success of an organization, as they are responsible for maintaining customer relationships, handling customer inquiries, and providing solutions to customer problems. They must possess a range of skills and knowledge in order to effectively manage customer accounts and work with other departments. As such, organizations should carefully consider the qualities and qualifications of potential account managers when hiring for this important position.

Hiring can be a difficult task, as it involves finding the right candidate who not only possesses the necessary skills and experience, but also aligns with the company's culture, values, and goals. It requires a lot of effort and resources to attract, screen, and evaluate potential candidates, and there is always a risk that the chosen candidate may not be the best fit for the role or the company.

Make use of pre-employment assessments to clear your judgment and hire not only the best person but also the right person.

Book a demo with us today and check out HireQuotient's wide range of assessment tests.

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