What it takes to be a good key account manager will very for each business. For many firms the main contact is appointed because they’ve done most of the work do date or they are the most senior person who knows the client.

But, in order to make sure you have the right people in the role and can identify what training or development they need, it’s worth taking a step back and considering what the job entails.

So what are the skills, competencies, know-how needed for your key account managers to be good at their jobs?

However, there are some common themes:

• Managing the relationship: great leadership of the client team, an absolute focus on the client’s needs and exceeding those, managing the quality of the service delivered.
• Financial and knowledge management: keeping a keen eye on the financials, developing a good knowledge of the customer’s business and marketplace and sharing that knowledge within the client team.
• Business development: the ability to identify relevant and appropriate products or services that the client might need and cross-selling these by bringing in colleagues, keeping in contact with the client, even if there is no current work being done.
• Communication and listening skills: both with the client and within the internal client team.
• Teamworker: committed to working collaboratively, as a team.

Interested in learning more? 

Please complete our Key Account Manager Competency Questionnaire to benchmark your business.