I was chatting to one of my clients recently about the benefits of introducing account management in their agency for the first time.
When you start an agency, typically you start with project management.As a small, agile team it makes sense for project managers to be responsible for client management.
They are highly skilled in delivering your services on time and on budget.
As an agency grows and more clients are acquired, it becomes unsustainable.
Not because the project managers don’t have the right skills.
They're often the expert technical practitioners who can talk most proficiently about the agency’s services in detail and know all the moving parts of the processes. They can also manage client requests, address client needs and solve client issues perfectly well. But if you want client relationship longevity and account growth, delivering a good service on time and on budget, and giving the client a great experience, is only the beginning. You need to be proactive as well as reactive. You need to be looking ahead through a commercial lens as well as delivering flawlessly. You need to continually delight and surprise the client with additional business relevant suggestions, ideas and insights beyond the current scope. But how do you become and stay business relevant?
By understanding the client, their role, what success means for them, how they measure success (and are measured by their company)
By staying close to their changing business needs, keeping on top of what their business is doing, how their market and competitors are changing and how their customers needs are evolving
By being situationally aware of the environment they operate in and predicting what they could be doing next - or what they should avoid doing next
By staying ahead of the trends in your area of expertise so you can be the first to bring them to the client proactively to help them capitalise on future opportunities and avoid potential future challenges
By regularly suggesting new, innovative ideas and useful insights beyond the current scope to help them make informed decisions not just right now but in the near future.
By meeting with them on a quarterly and annual basis to understand their business objectives, priorities and goals and suggesting/planning appropriate solutions
But who has time for all that when we need to deliver on what we’ve already promised??
Enter the well trained account manager unshackled from project management,with a future-value focus and set up for success by the agency.
In the absence of an account manager, if project managers continue to do an excellent job of being responsive and delivering flawlessly you're highly likely to retain your clients...... for a while, but you’ll hinder your ability to expand them intentionally.
Consider this scenario… what happens when your competitor calls your client and asks them if they're aware of the imminent market changes that are about to happen and suggests some ideas for helping them navigate the situation?
Wouldn't they take the call? (I know I would)
Remember your client is on someone else's prospecting list.
Loyalty to your relationship is one thing but your client's survival (in their position/market/industry) is another.
We need to help them stay relevant and current to fortify your position by being proactive not just reactive to their needs.
If you don't have a dedicated account manager, please consider it.
And if your account managers aren't being proactive enough, check out the 'steps to success' in the chart at the top of the page.
