How can technology improve Account Managers' performance?

Communication and collaboration tools or video conferencing platforms facilitate seamless communication with clients and colleagues, even when working remotely. This helps better teamwork and ensures everyone stays on the same page.

In the 3PL world, data is king to an Account Manager. Data mining your customer's transactional data is critical to the Account Manager's ability to manage the existing business and in developing new solutions that improve the customer's Supply Chain. Improvements in service, cost, quality and predictability are all based on clean accessible data. Without the data, parsed properly, you're managing the account in the blind.

CRM only is not important,AM need to spend quality time for analysis of their data ,customer performance ,analyse if we are increasing our business with reference to turnover growth of customer ,most important is to check dormant customer ,deep dive why he has stopped buying. With my experience average 15_20% customers fall in this category for some reason ,most crucial reason is having less interaction with old customers for being busy with new customers. CRM is vital for any organisation .

It is important that you think about CRM system as a means to the end. Many CRM implementations go wrong because enough though has not been put into how you create value from your solution for your accounts and ensure your process reflects the same. An account manager should not just get plugged into a CRM primarily used by new business reps to prospect. The organization should think about their business and the process they need account teams to follow to create meaningful value exchange with their customers and the CRM reflects this process.

Something that I’ve seen across the CRM thread, is that everyone agrees that: - CRMs are an integral part of a healthy sales function - Accurate data and frequent reporting is required to make the most out of a CRM However, there isn’t enough of a focus on ensuring your AMs know how to pull relevant information from the CRM to help them meet target. As a manager, you need to enable your team in pulling the right data, at the right times and show them how that data is best actioned. This goes hand in hand with my first two points, if your team understands the “why” they’re far more likely to keep up their end of the bargain and make sure the CRM is kept up to date.

In our team, we use Slack, Asana and our CRM to communicate with each other. The most direct collaboration takes place in Slack, where we communicate almost in real time, for example during calls or in channels where we share successes with each other. In CRM, we communicate with a slight time delay via an internal comment system and tasks that we can assign to each other. Asana is exclusively for projects, the 1on1 structure and asynchronous tasks for which we take more time. By clearly defining when to use which communication tool, everyone can plan their working time and tools better and knows when and where to expect feedback.

Mattermost is a critical component in managing our accounts effectively. The vast majority of communications at our org happen in Mattermost and are indexed, making information easily accessible, unlike emails or video conferencing, which limit information sharing to specific recipients/participants. This centralization helps break down silos and keeps vital information stored and visible across the entire org. Additionally, we use Mattermost Playbooks, which helps us move quickly and make fewer mistakes with checklist-based workflows. Playbooks significantly improve our time to acknowledge and resolve various issues, enhancing our responsiveness and efficiency, which in turn improves the customers' experience.

Too many tools where account managers get buried under internal noise and not focus on customer value creation is a common problem in organizations. Tools that work seamlessly with your CRM and an internal collaboration platform such as slack or Microsoft teams should be considered. Keep customer and team interactions managing value for your customer and your product as the focus. This will help the account management team achieve their north star metric around Net Retention Rate (NRR).

In my professional journey, integrating collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams proved instrumental in enhancing account management performance. The real-time sharing of files, documents, messages, and calendars streamlined team coordination and communication. Embracing tools like Asana facilitated efficient project management, minimizing duplication and promoting clear communication. The experience underscored the importance of fostering a culture of trust, transparency, and accountability, ultimately strengthening relationships and yielding improved results in account management.

A automação de tarefas permite que os profissionais tenham mais tempo para atividades estratégicas e de relacionamento. O CRM pode ajudar a organizar e acompanhar as interações, garantindo que nenhum contato importante seja perdido e dando insights valiosos para o atendimento. Além disso, facilita a análise de dados e geração de relatórios, com informações precisas sobre desempenho, tendências e oportunidades, levando a uma tomada de decisão mais assertiva É importante ressaltar que a tecnologia não substitui o relacionamento humano. Os gerentes precisam de relações sólidas com os clientes, entendendo necessidades, preocupações e objetivos de negócio. Treinamento em habilidades de escuta qualificada e empatia continuam sendo fundamental.

The strategic integration of technologies serves as a catalyst for advancing account management effectiveness. The strategic utilization of analytic tools enables proactive approch to trend identification and performance accessment. Based on these inputs we can decide our strategy to upsell and cross sell the account.

My Merchandising background says that 'Data Analytics' provides very helpful information. However, I would remind you of of this quote from Jeff Bezos of Amazon: "All my best decision in buisness and in life have been made with heart, intuition -- not analytics. If you can decide with analysis you should do so. Buti it turn out that in life your most important decison are always made with instinct and tuitions, taste, and heart. There is a danger of relying on data analytics alone without the required instinct. Great data alone does not make ignorant people smart. There is an 'Art to Merchandising' required that, to some extent, is inate with curious people and develops into empathy by interacting with customers.

Data Analytics, often underrated, is crucial in nurturing relationships with accounts. While I agree with Jim Inglis's caution against over-reliance on data without instinct, I've found that collaborative data analytics with customers is incredibly effective. Providing meaningful interpretations of their data and correlating it with their end-user experiences or real-time scenarios enhances understanding and value. Engaging stakeholders in this process, rather than merely presenting data, creates a winning strategy that fosters deeper understanding and stronger relationships.

Analytics tools have evolved beyond just data collection and reporting tools. Most of the traditional reporting around customer data has moved to the CRM. Insights and action on analytics and insights using generative AI and workflows is now an important add-on for account management. This acts as a co-pilot for account managers to ensure that they can be the pilot for managing customer and product value.

Various analytics tools are available, and in certain situations, I find that utilizing a traditional Excel sheet can give sales teams better control over their data compared to Power BI. Although Power BI is indeed robust, setting up its dashboards often requires IT team involvement. Additionally, these tools often need ongoing training to effectively display the desired data through various metrics. While there are tools designed to analyze post or email engagement initiated by marketing teams, these prove invaluable in comprehending market dynamics.

Technology-driven learning tools have been a game-changer in my professional experience. Platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, and others have provided invaluable resources, allowing me to stay updated on the ever-evolving trends and innovations in my industry. These tools have not only honed my expertise in pharmaceuticals but also equipped me with vital skills like effective communication and problem-solving, boosting my confidence and credibility in serving our clients with greater value.

Continuous learning is an indispensable component of an account manager's journey. As accounts and products evolve, so must the account manager's efficiency and versatility to confidently tackle unforeseen challenges. Providing top-notch learning materials and encouraging team learning not only boosts job satisfaction but also fosters professional growth. This approach directly impacts employee retention, as team members foresee a trajectory of continual development within the company, contributing to a more engaged and committed workforce.

One thing that I have found indemand is hands-on personal training. Most prefer small group training rather than a seminar. Videos on online is great but if your message truly reaches your audience they will be captive and in return have questions.

In today’s world we need to act as per technology and market standards otherwise we will become outdated. Learning is very critical area for account manager. AM should spent at least one hour daily for learning new technology and what is new going on in market. Now a days you will get lot of learning materials on LinkedIn and you tube. Keep learning new things and up to date in market 😊

In my experience, LinkedIn Learning has proven to be a valuable tool throughout my sales career. Offering a wide range of courses covering sales techniques, communication skills, negotiation strategies, and other relevant topics. LinkedIn Learning has helped me to be more versatile and effective in my sales role.

Automation tools revolutionize account management by streamlining routine tasks like data entry, scheduling, and report generation. This efficiency frees the team to focus on what truly matters: delivering value to customers. With more time, account managers can deepen client relationships, understand unique needs, and customize solutions, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. Automation doesn't replace the human touch; it empowers it, ensuring teams spend time on high-value, strategic activities that truly make a difference.

An example I've seen myself- lack of automation tools had me following up manually, creating tasks (sometimes in my mind) and having a hard time keeping everything organised. With the right automation tools, I could: a) Save time doing redundant tasks and use that time to collaborate with cross functional teams. b) Proactive in reaching out to my customers. c) Understand the importance of smark work as a professional.

In every role I've had, I've effectively used automation tools to streamline workflows and eliminate manual data entry. This has greatly improved efficiency in all the AM organizations I've been part of. Automating routine tasks frees up time for more strategic work. The key is integration; ensuring our tech stack works seamlessly with all available tools, much like connecting LEGO pieces. This integration unlocks endless possibilities, allowing us to work smarter, not just harder, and significantly enhancing both productivity and job satisfaction.

A automação é importante e crescente a cada dia, porém é preciso mecanismos de filtros para evitar decisões importantes automatizados, o que não é bom !

Automatisierungstools sind ein erhebliches Instrument zur Erhöhung der Effizienz. Oft monotone Arbeiten sind optimal für den Einsatz von Automatisierungs-Tools sowie zur Planung und Erstellung von Kampagnen in vielerlei Hinsicht.

Some examples of innovation tools are ones that generates insights for account managers using the data from the CRM, connects their CRM to their collaboration platforms such as slack and helps them a view into implementations that are running for their customers. Tools such as Intelo.ai, Thena and Rocketlane are critical addition to the account management toolset.

In the fast-paced realm of digital marketing, leveraging innovation tools like Miro, InVision, Canva, and Shopify is essential for Account Managers to foster creativity, streamline design processes, and prototype projects efficiently. These platforms not only facilitate dynamic brainstorming sessions but also enable the seamless creation of visually compelling content and user-friendly interfaces. By incorporating innovation tools, Account Managers can stay ahead of the curve, differentiate their strategies, and deliver impactful campaigns that resonate with target audiences in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Current Scenario and technology trends helping each and every role, industry and society. With respect to Account Manager play technology plays vitol role in various manners 1. Social media - slack, linkedin, etc ->Relationship building 2. Analytical Tools - PowerBi, google analytics, etc… ->Measure and analyse product adoption 3. CRM tools - Salesforce, totango, etc… ->Manage all account health at one place 4. Misc - Chatgpt, postman,etc… -> updated with latest tech and trends Other tools and tricks to manage issues and automate work so that they can cope up with the customer and industry pace in order to get more revenue and retain them.

By leveraging AI-powered communication tools, teams can enhance responsiveness, swiftly address customer queries, and even automate certain account management processes. Similarly, integrating such capabilities into chatbots can be a game-changer, elevating the overall customer experience.

Avant d'innover, rappelons les basiques et demandons aux clients et aux collaborateurs ce dont ils ont besoin. Pas besoin de faire "comme le voisin", ou parce que tout le monde le fait, ajuster les outils en fonction des vrais besoins