Account Manager
The account manager ( AM , German: customer service) is a sales representative in a company . Maintaining contact with customers and expanding the customer base is the essential task of an account manager. The breadth of the responsibilities of an account manager varies depending on the size of the company and in smaller companies can also include tasks of a sales representative.
Often, account managers also work in a specific sales area of the company. If an account manager is exclusively responsible for an important key customer, one also speaks of a key account manager .
Responsibilities
An account manager's accountability depends on the type of company. The account manager is mainly a link between the company and the customer. The aim is to maintain existing relationships between a company and its customers, in order to maintain and ideally expand the business relationships. In addition, the account manager tries to optimize the supply chain for so-called key customers, to decimate sources of error and to convey a certain transparency to the customer.
Depending on the size of the company, account managers can look after a single key customer or a large number of different customers. An account manager can be responsible on a national or global level. Global and national account managers can work together in a hierarchical structure or in a matrix structure.
Responsibilities
Account managers are responsible for working closely with customers to develop their requirements and to clarify how the company can optimally meet these requirements in order to bind the customer to the company. Account managers look after existing customers. In addition to sales activities, the function often also includes project management tasks , for example in the implementation of projects.
tasks
An account manager's job is to maintain the existing relationship with an existing customer. Further expansion is possible if the customer's line of business allows this. Among other things, he is constantly working on optimizing the supply chain in order to minimize costs, increase productivity and maintain and promote the network that he has built on a global or regional level.
A global account manager is a link between the customer and the company. Managing problems, dividing up work tasks and checking that business is running smoothly are among the main activities. The preparation of offers, commercial contract processing and the sale of production and services can also be part of the tasks.
conditions
Having gained professional experience in this position or studying business administration is an advantage. Foreign language skills, willingness to travel and the ability to deal with rejection are recommended skills.
Having a good knowledge of people to identify a customer's needs is also useful. In general, the general ability to communicate with the customer is essential, as there should be regular customer discussions in order to maintain business relationships and build new ones.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Federal Employment Agency : Berufenet - Account-Manager / in , information about the profession, accessed on February 5, 2014.