A strategic account manager acts as a liaison between a company and its customers.
A strategic account manager's main job responsibility involves acting as a liaison between a company and its customers and expanding the client base, while maintaining good client relations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the strategic account manager field is one of the fastest growing in the management, scientific and technology industry. The bureau expects an 83 percent increase in employment in this field throughout the decade of 2008 to 2018.
Levels
Strategic account managers are hired at several different levels. According to the Strategic Account and Management Association, these jobs are national, regional and global depending on the nature, size and scope of the business. Depending on the sales level, traveling is often a requirement as a strategic account manager.
Liaison
One of the primary responsibilities of a strategic account manager is the company and client relationship. The account manager is responsible for the needs of not only the company he works for, but also for the client. The account manager takes both parties into consideration when making deals so that both parties benefit from the deal. If both parties are happy, the deal is more likely to work out. This consists of not only earning a profit for the company, but also providing the customer with a service or product that benefits them. The account manager's job is providing a good or service in the most beneficial way for both parties.
Clients
A strategic account manager is responsible for ensuring the satisfaction of all clients. The account manager maintains relationships with all clients, and also works toward goals of gaining new clients. A strategic account manager typically is assigned a quota that must be met by a certain period of time. The quota typically represents a certain dollar amount in sales or a specific amount of new clients. A good customer relationship is a primary source for achieving these quotas.
Business Strategies
A strategic account manager is always looking for new strategies to increase client base. Much time is spent planning strategies and implementing them. According to the Strategic Account and Management Association, the goals of the strategic account manager are to increase the sales of the company, to reach the largest client base possible, and to make both the clients and the company happy.
Salary
A strategic account manager job typically requires a minimum four-year bachelor's degree. Most companies look for a person with at least three to five years experience in some sort of account management position. Two-thirds of strategic account managers are males, and the average salary for this position in the United States is between $53,000 and $94,000, according to PayScale.com.
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