Here's how you can upgrade your account managers' performance through learning new skills.

In today’s tech-driven market, account managers have many tasks to handle, like urgent requests and lots of reports. Learning how to automate report generation and create dashboards can make their work much easier. This lets them spend more time on important client interactions, helping to keep clients happy and satisfied.

Technology can improve our performance in account management by helping us track our activities, share data with our customers, and keep important information about their history, including purchases and project details, problems encountered, and the solutions provided. It also helps us respond faster if there are any issues with our customers' production and offers solutions to solve these problems.Account management requires quick and accurate responses, especially in urgent and important situations. That's why embracing technology is very important to strengthen our relationships with customers in account management.

Being a account manager, it is very important to have a track of accounts we are taking care of. CRM is the best tool where we can track out conversation with clients, analyzing data for better decision making. This process allows us to maintatin healthy relationships with our customers as well as we can reach their expectations in a better a way

Upgrading account managers' performance through new technologies involves integrating CRM systems, data analytics tools, and AI-driven insights into their workflow. These technologies enable account managers to better understand customer behaviour, personalise interactions, and anticipate client needs more accurately. Automated tasks and streamlined communication tools enhance efficiency, allowing account managers to focus on building stronger relationships and strategic decision-making. Training and development programs on using these technologies ensure that account managers stay proficient and can fully leverage the tools to drive customer satisfaction and business growth.

1. Soft skills are an integral part of the account manager’s toolkit. They are not always given enough attention (they are often taken for granted), but demand for the soft skills of account managers is growing. 2. Communication, negotiations, emotional intelligence, etc, - each of them requires careful and serious attention and many years of training & practise; these are large areas for improvement, each of which requires time, energy, discipline and patience.

Many account managers fail to retain accounts because of a low emotional quotient and/or poor listening skills. Any education and reading to improve the ability to pick up on non-verbal cues or to know when to listen, or to understand how to communicate with varied personality types will improve client retention and will also help teams to upsell.

Learning multiple soft skills plays crucial role in maintaining good relationship with our customers. Soft skills include, Communication, Listening, and many more. In this way we can understand customers needs and understand their concerns in detail, which help us to maintain longterm relationship with them.

As an account manager, soft skills are crucial in your role. These skills include emotional intelligence, negotiation, conflict and crisis resolution, as well as effective communication and active listening. Developing these skills not only benefits you personally but also improves the quality of your interactions with your accounts and customers. It helps you anticipate their needs and fosters valuable long-term relationships.

Enhancing account managers' performance through soft skills development involves focusing on communication, empathy, problem-solving, and adaptability. By honing their communication skills, account managers can effectively convey ideas and understand client needs, fostering stronger relationships. Empathy enables them to connect with clients on a personal level, improving customer satisfaction. Problem-solving skills help them navigate challenges and provide innovative solutions, while adaptability allows them to respond to changing client demands and market conditions.

Impossible to be successful in account management without being strategic. Opportunistic sales is the antidote for long term relationships. The priority should be the long term well being of the account. The prosperity of your client and their people team should be high on your list as it means eventually more business and more success to you. Avoid short term gains, abondon opportunistic behaviour and focus on the long run.

Strategic thinking is critical. Ever hear the phrase "they're playing checkers, we're playing chess"? If you're only thinking one level beyond whats in front of you then you're always reacting and often wrong. You'll be wrong plenty but having a plan, a strategy, you have a path and are prepared to tweak that path. Without it you are creating a whole new path at every turn or hurdle. Strategic thinking creates efficiency. Efficiency creates more time and more time used correctly creates more success (or more happiness if you are looking for some well deserved down or family time).

Strategic thinking involves providing training on market analysis, long-term planning, and competitive intelligence. By understanding market trends and client industries, account managers can identify growth opportunities and anticipate challenges. Encouraging a proactive approach to account planning helps them align client goals with the company's strategic objectives. Integrating tools and frameworks for strategic analysis enables them to make informed decisions and develop tailored strategies for each client.

"Your Business Depends on It: How to Think Strategically in Account Management" Manage and reward access to each account with the aim of exceeding client expectations while eliminating internal conflicts within your organisation, typically between commercial teams and solution development teams. Encourage strategic thinking by providing training focused on understanding clients' broader business objectives. This can be achieved through workshops, case studies, and strategic planning sessions. Equip account managers with tools to analyse and prioritise client lifetime value, as well as market trends and client data. This enables them to offer more value through customised solutions and proactive service at the right time.

Strategic thinking is one of the major role played by Account Manager. Thinking beyond the ability is very important as this allows us to understand broader scope for our business goals. understanding customers needs and providing customised solutions according to their concerns is very important. This process allows customers to trust as well as business growth.

Account Manager is filled with lot of things on their plate. So Managing their time efficiently is very important. Planning their schedule accordingly to provide quality service to their accounts without missing any task or deadlines.

Prioritization Techniques: Use tools such as the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks as urgent/important and either delegate them or eliminate less critical ones. Time Blocking: Reserve specific times in the calendar for focused work on particular accounts or projects. This helps reduce distractions and promotes deep work. Utilize Technology: Make use of project management tools, CRMs, and communication platforms to streamline workflows and centralize information. Set Realistic Deadlines: Avoid overloading yourself. Take into account buffer time and communication buffer for client approvals. Batch Similar Tasks: Group similar tasks such as emails or calls together to minimize context switching and improve efficiency.

Es fundamental llevar un control eficiente de las cuentas valorarlas y priorizarlas en función de los pendientes con las áreas y buscar accionar requerimientos que se tengan que delegar para atención. Esto permite visibilidad y poder crecerlas al tener visión de cómo están actualmente, como deberían estar y hacia a dónde van o quieren ir los clientes.

1. Time management helps not only improve the performance of an account manager, but also significantly improve the quality of his life. A clear understanding of time, deadlines, dates, priorities allows you to create a balance between work and personal life. 2. Where to begin? Start with a little 3-5 minute planning every day in the morning. 3. Constantly train your planning skills: days, weeks, months, quarters, years. Think of planning as a journey, not a destination; enjoy the process.

Effective time management in sales is crucial for maximizing productivity, achieving sales targets, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Sales professionals must juggle various tasks, from prospecting and client meetings to follow-ups and administrative work.

Continuous learning is something important for 0 experienced person to decades of experienced person. Learning should never be compromised during your entire life. Attending workshops, webinars and industry events for gaining more knowledge is the best practice. Staying up-to-date about the industry and market is crucial.

Outside of working to provide career development training I like to frequently share articles or books with my team pulling out a few key tangible examples they can put in action today.

Rapid Technological Change is impacting business, community and people in a blistering pace. GenAI is a great example. Continuous learning has become a necessity in every profession. Account Management is not an exception

Lead by Example: Make ongoing learning a core value for the team. Attend industry events yourself and share key takeaways. Personalized Learning Paths: Identify individual skill gaps and provide resources such as online courses, conferences, or certifications tailored to each account manager's needs. Knowledge Sharing Sessions: Encourage account managers to share their learnings from workshops or articles with the team, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

"How to Commit to The Continuous Learning Imperative" Learn from both winning and losing clients and anticipate account losses by reviewing activities across all touch points. Organise regular professional development activities such as workshops, webinars, and industry conferences to keep account managers exposed to new ideas and best practices. Encourage account managers to pursue certifications and participate in peer learning groups, recognising their expertise and promoting shared learning experiences. Provide access to online courses and resources, offering flexibility and up-to-date industry trends. Recognise and reward continuous learning by celebrating milestones like certifications, reinforcing the value of ongoing education.

"Be Clear How Your Feedback Loop and Account Management Performance Inter-relate" A feedback loop gathers and analyses feedback from clients, peers, and supervisors to improve performance and client satisfaction. Establish a Feedback Loop Encourage account managers to collect feedback through surveys and meetings. Analyse this feedback to identify strengths and areas for improvement, and use it to drive positive changes. Review the impact of these changes regularly. Foster open communication to build trust and support continuous learning. By linking your feedback loop to Account Management performance, you ensure constant feedback leads to consistent growth and enhanced client satisfaction.

One of the best things you can do to grow your account teams' skills is to be transparent and quick with feedback from not only from what you observe directly yourself but what what you're hearing from clients, their peers, and other leadership within the organization. Make sure it's balanced with both the good and the bad so they can keep doing the good and share ways to turnaround the not so good.

Upgrading your account managers' performance involves encouraging continuous learning and skill development. Focus on training in customer relationship management (CRM) software to enhance organizational efficiency. Provide workshops on data analysis to improve decision-making abilities. Encourage communication and negotiation skills to foster better client interactions. Promote time management techniques to optimize productivity. Offer courses in industry-specific knowledge to stay competitive. Lastly, support a culture of feedback and continuous improvement for sustained growth.

"Omit These Aspects at Your Peril: Here’s What Else to Consider" Enhance cross-functional collaboration with regular interdepartmental meetings and joint projects. This improves account managers' strategic contributions. Encourage participation in company-wide initiatives. Provide opportunities for sharing insights and best practices across teams. Implement a mentorship program for guiding newer team members. Facilitate knowledge-sharing and use collaborative tools to streamline communication and project management. Regularly review processes to minimise conflicts and ensure alignment between commercial and solution development teams, aiming to exceed client expectations.