It’s important to hire everyone on your team, from the plumber who works 24 hours a day to the lawyer. But the truth is that some people are more important than others. Specifically, your account manager is the person your clients see when they talk to your business. They are often the difference between happy customers and a successful business.
So, when you hire an account manager, don’t do these three things.
Trying To Hire People Too Quickly
Most of the time, choosing someone quickly leads to mistakes that cost a lot of money. You could end up with an account manager who isn’t a good fit for your business, which can cause problems and turnover.
Let’s say your work load suddenly grows and you need to hire an account manager right away. You are in a hurry, so you don’t do the normal interviews and hire the first person you see. Soon, you will learn that this person doesn’t have the experience or skills to manage your clients well. Your clients are now unhappy, and you have to start the hiring process all over again.
Set up an organized hiring process that includes multiple rounds of interviews and careful checks of references.
Not Making the Role Clear
If you don’t clearly define this job or any role, you and the candidate are likely to have misunderstandings because you both have different expectations, which can lead to problems like poor performance and frustration.
When you post a job for an account manager, it should just say “Looking for an Account Manager.” People apply, but they have different ideas about what the job should be. Some people think they will have more sales duties, while others think they will focus on managing relationships with clients. There’s a good chance you’ll hire one that doesn’t meet your wants, which could cause problems.
You should write a detailed job description that spells out the exact duties, qualifications, and standards for how the person should do their job. Candidates will know what they’re getting into, and you’ll be able to find the best person for the job.
Putting Soft Skills Aside
Communication, teamwork, getting along with others, and other “soft skills” are very important for an account manager. If you don’t think about these things when hiring, you might end up with someone who has trouble connecting with clients, which could hurt your business relationships.
Let’s say you talk to two people about the job of account manager. Candidate A is good at technology but not so good at making relationships and communicating. Candidates B and C, on the other hand, are not as good at technology but are great at getting along with others. If you only hire Candidate A because of their expert skills, you might lose some business.
So look at a candidate’s “soft skills” during the interview. Ask them practical questions that show how well they can talk to people, deal with disagreements, and connect with clients.
It’s too easy for bad things to happen when you hire the wrong account manager, so be very careful. It’s a good start to avoid these mistakes.
