Key Account Manager
A key account manager is like a middle man for the company and the clients of the company. Their main goal is to make sure that they RETAIN the clients they are assigned to. There are many factors and strategies in client retention, and one of the toughest tasks of the key account manager is to PACIFY the clients.
However, one will not need to pacify any client if all the needs and requirements of the clients are satisfactorily met all the time. The key account manager will have to make sure that this happens by visiting or checking on their clients regularly. This is done through phone calls or actual visit to the office of the client.
Key Account Manager Job Description
A key account manager is the front liner of the company vis–vis their clients. They are the supposed to be very skilled in communicating with other people, and they should have a positive outlook in mind. They are tasked with making the client happy by means of two things. First, is the delivery of good quality service. A service provider company may be providing services like telephones, communications or even supplies all their printing requirements and needs. The job of the key account manager is to make sure that all the hardware provided by his company are up to scratch and functional.
Another job of the key account manager is to make PR or increase personal relations with the clients and gather as much data as possible about their business, their work flow, and if possible, their other clients. All of this can be obtained through good quality PR. As a key account manager, you will charm your way through your contacts to that you will not easily be dislodged by any of your competitor. High quality PR is probably the most important thing you will do as a key account manager. With high quality PR with your clients, you are guaranteed to keep them for a very long time even when your service disappoints them from time to time.
In accordance with the paragraph above, it is very important for the key account manager to be very close to the contact persons and decision makers of the accounts he is assigned to. If possible, know the birthdays of the contact persons and decision makers in that company, and make sure to send small gifts on those occasions. It is also imperative for the key account manager to know the ANNIVERSARY of the accounts he is managing, and to send some small gifts to the contact persons and decision makers on these dates. These small acts of charms always works wonders for you in your client retention goal.
Once you are very close with your contact person and decision makers, you can be sure that you are never going to be dislodged from that account; they will even tell you if any of your competitors are making rounds in the area or in their office in hope of dislodging your brand or service.
Key Account Manager Responsibilities
BRAND KNOWLEDGE is the single most important skill and responsibility that an account manager should master first. The key account manager must know everything about the product or service he is selling, and he must believe in the goodness and quality of his own product. A client will easily detect if a person does not know what he is selling or if that person is not confident about the product or service he is providing. This could have drastic effects on the sales and performance of a key account manager.
A good key account manager will also be able to see the industry trends, and know where his bread is buttered. He will know which areas is a specific district are more productive than others, and which industries are more likely to buy the products or services of his company.
While he is not required to predict industry outcomes for the next quarter, he is expected to deliver SALES. A key account manager is not solely dedicated to the task of taking care of the clients, but also expanding the base of clients he has.
He will also make daily and weekly reports on the status of their clients and what transpired on the visits or calls he has done that day. On the reports, the key account manager is required to show the company visited, the person contacted, the purpose of the visit, the concerns of the clients if there are any, actions done on the part of the account manager, and the date of the resolution of the client concern.
Every call or visit will also be covered by a Customer Service Report Sheet or CSR. The CSR is must contain the purpose of the visit to the client and must also be countersigned by the client upon the visit of the account manager. This serves as a proof that field work was actually done.
Key Account Management Training
It is good news that anyone can become a key account manager if he is equipped with the right tools and strategies in training. Most companies who are in need of a key account manager will train their new hires to fit the needs of the company. The nature of the training will depend on the company, as there are many key account managers working in different industries and markets.
Key account manager jobs are available in any company that provides services or products to OTHER companies, who are their clients. These companies can either be in the BPO industry. Other companies might be involved in the Materials Management division because they provide supplies to the clients like paper or printing products and services.
Overall, the key account manager salary also depends on the nature of his work, on top of the commissions and benefits he receive from the company. Sales and account management tend to have one of the largest salary in the corporate world. The industry also produces some of the most competitive personalities who are dominant and persuasive, charming and convincing at the same time.
