what is an account sales manager?
As an account sales manager, you are the primary liaison between a company and their regular clients. You are responsible for building and fostering relationships with various clients. Since you regularly interact with customers, you find new business opportunities and identify ways to grow account revenue. You also ensure the company products are delivered on time and provide good after-sales services.
Working as an account sales manager involves a mix of sales and customer service duties. Some of your sales duties involve creating new business opportunities and guiding clients through the purchase process. Your customer service role comes in when you manage your clients' portfolios and maintain good relationships.
As an account sales manager, your role focuses on generating revenue and maintaining client relationships. You also manage a team of sales professionals who help you create campaigns and track customers' progress in the sales funnel. Working as an account sales manager increases your collaboration with sales and customer service professionals. You stay in touch with long-term clients to generate recurring business. You also perform various administrative tasks like performance reviews and audits of the performance of sales reviews.
Would working as an account sales manager suit your customer service skills? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in an account sales manager role.
find job vacanciesaverage account sales manager salary
According to ONS, the average salary of an account sales manager is £31,285 per year. In an entry-level position, you receive a compensation package of £25,000 annually. With experience, your earnings increase to over £97,600 yearly. Unlike other roles with performance-based earnings, most companies pay account sales managers a basic salary with occasional bonuses.
what factors affect the salary of an account sales manager?
As an account sales manager, your compensation package depends on various factors, from your experience to the industry and company size. When you work in the insurance, finance or advertising industry, you are likely to earn more as an account sales manager. You handle major clients and provide services with high revenue potential increasing your compensation package. When you work in a big organisation, you are likely to handle major clients and earn more due to unlimited resources. Account sales managers working in small startups receive lower compensation packages.
Your experience also influences your earnings. When you are an entry-level account manager, the salary is likely to be lower than the national average. However, with experience, your compensation prospects increase.
types of account sales managers
The types of account sales managers depend on the position they occupy in the company, including:
- junior account sales managers: as a junior account sales manager, you handle small client accounts in the company. For instance, you deal with individual clients like businesses to customers. Your job is to assist your clients with the purchase process and ensure they receive the products or services they require.
- senior account sales managers: as a senior account sales manager, you handle B2B clients. That means you build relationships with other companies to supply them with your products and services. Your job is to negotiate contracts and find upselling opportunities for clients.
working as an account sales manager
An account sales manager is an exciting role with promising growth opportunities. If you are interested in the role, check out the duties, responsibilities and work environments associated with the role.
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account sales manager job description
Some of the duties and responsibilities of an account sales manager include:
- managing relationships with clients: as an account sales manager, you build long-term relationships with clients. You liaise with your clients and stay in touch with them to build strong and personable relationships. Becoming a contact person is the best way to promote a good relationship with your clients. Your job is to answer client queries, complaints and questions.
- providing customer service: as an account sales manager, you oversee the provision of various services to clients. Your job is to organise product delivery to ensure you meet the agreed service levels negotiated in contracts. You also provide after-sale services like transport to deliver goods.
- maintaining the account status: as an account sales manager, your job is to update client accounts with the relevant reports. You record key account metrics and potential business opportunities for existing clients.
- presenting business ideas to clients: as an account sales manager, you prepare and pitch presentations to clients. You make presentations for new and existing clients and provide ideas for business growth. Your job is to increase client account spending by upselling and cross-selling various products. You also negotiate the new deliverables and prices with clients when they show interest in new business opportunities.
- maintaining sales quotas: as an account sales manager, you maintain or exceed the determined sales targets. You also set the targets for sales professionals.
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work environment
An account sales manager works from the company offices. You work in various industries as an in-house account sales manager. You provide account management services to various clients when you work for a consultancy firm. Since it is an office job, you spend hours working at your desk. The role involves off-site travel to visit existing and prospective clients and to close sales deals. Account sales managers can also work from home and remotely.
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who are your colleagues?
Working as an account sales manager involves collaborating with various professionals in diverse fields. For instance, you work alongside sales executives, account managers and customer service representatives. You also liaise with accountants and finance managers to manage revenue from sales or work with field sales representatives and logistics managers to organise transport.
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work schedule
As an account sales manager, you commit between 35 and 40 hours per week to your work. Regular business hours are common in full-time positions, with the occasional overtime and evening work to meet project and campaign deadlines. You also work weekends to meet targets and close sales deals with clients who are busy during the week.
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job outlook
You become an account sales manager from a junior sales or account executive role. Sales administrators also become account sales managers before progressing to higher roles like key account manager positions or account directors. As an account sales manager, you can also become a marketing manager or sales director.
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advantages of finding an account sales manager job through randstad
Finding your account sales manager job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as an account sales manager is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!
education and skills
To become an account sales manager, you require the following qualifications:
- education: pursue a bachelor’s degree in communication, marketing and economics. Since it is a client-facing role, completing a bachelor’s degree in business management equips you with the right management and communication skills to excel.
- work experience: you require extensive experience in sales and customer service to excel in the role. You can gain experience through internships and entry-level roles in customer service and junior account manager positions. Since it is a leadership role, you require at least five years of experience managing client accounts.
account sales manager skills and competencies
The main qualities of an account sales manager include:
- active listening skills: as an account sales manager, you rely on active listening to understand the client's needs. Your active listening skills help you understand client problems and develop useful solutions. If you want to build your listening skills, minimise distractions and reiterate what the other person is saying to acknowledge that you understand.
- time management: as an account sales manager, you require time management skills since you handle various responsibilities. You require organisation skills to maintain regular contact with existing clients and develop new campaign ideas. Time management skills also help you plan sales campaigns and prioritise clients based on their value.
- relationship-building skills: as an account sales manager, you nurture good relationships with existing clients to generate recurring businesses. You require relationship-building skills to develop and maintain strong relationships with long-term clients. The best way to build a rapport with clients is to understand their needs and provide high-quality customer service.
- communication skills: as an account sales manager, you liaise with various professionals and perform duties that require excellent communication skills. Your communication ability is valuable in negotiating with clients, presenting to stakeholders and delegating duties to other workers. Your communication skills foster a great work culture since you can brainstorm sales ideas.
FAQs about working as an account sales manager
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of an account sales manager.
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what is the main role of an account sales manager?
As an account sales manager, you develop long-term relationships with the company’s clients. You also oversee sales and manage a portfolio of clients. Since you perform customer service roles, your primary focus is to satisfy your client’s needs and requests. You should respond to customer queries and deliver a positive customer experience.
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what does an account sales manager earn?
Account sales managers earn an average salary of £31,285 per year, translating to £16.04 per hour. In an entry-level position, you have minimal skills and experience and manage small client accounts. Your compensation package is £25,000 yearly. When you are experienced in the role, your earnings increase to over £50,000 annually. The earnings fluctuate based on factors like location, work experience and qualifications.
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what makes a good account sales manager?
Account sales managers require various skills and qualities to excel in the role. For instance, you require exceptional communication skills to communicate in a friendly and professional manner. Having good listening skills helps you determine the needs of clients and answer their questions. You also require customer service skills to go the extra mile for your clients and ensure they receive the best products.
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is an account sales manager a good job?
Working as an account sales manager is an exciting career with interesting job opportunities. Your role involves interacting with clients and managing accounts. That means you build long-term relationships with various clients. The role attracts a lucrative compensation package and the potential for earning more.
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is key account sales manager a stressful job?
Being a key account manager involves handling customer complaints and queries. Sometimes, the role can be stressful since you juggle numerous tasks and manage a group of professionals. It is easy to minimise stress through organisational skills and time management ability.
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how do I apply for an account sales manager vacancy?
Applying for an account sales manager job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here!
