Below the Line

Account Management Basics - The Bigger Picture

For the final post in this series, I've included "the bigger picture". How do you find time to think about the bigger picture and to come up with the big ideas? Often this is difficult with day-to-day deadlines taking precedence. However, it is a vital part of the agency/client relationship in order for the agency to be adding value and developing the business. Work with your Account Director to make sure “thinking” time is set aside.

Account Management Basics - Project Debrief

At the end of a quarterly or other major project, it is useful to conduct an internal Project Debrief (also called a Post Mortem).

1. Successes: What did we accomplish? Did we meet our goals? What activities or tactics worked well for us?
2. Challenges: What difficulties did we encounter?  How did we resolve them or workaround them? Were all issues resolved in a timely manner?
3. Weaknesses: In what areas was our performance less than satisfactory? What aspects of team functioning need improvement?
4. Plans: What are the plans for improvement?
5. Process:

·         Was the process clear to the entire team at the outset?

·         Were the responsibilities clear?

·         How well was the team able to respond to requests?

·         How well did the team work together? Were they responsive and flexible?

·         Was the process effective?

6. Questions to consider:

·         Were there organizational obstacles that made it difficult or impossible to conduct any part of the process?

·         Did you have the right information and tools to do the job well?

·         Were communications adequate in all activities?

·         Did the project meet all original scheduled milestones/deadlines?

·         Did the project receive all the necessary approvals to proceed in a timely fashion?

·         Was the project staffed appropriately?

·         Was quality of the deliverable adequate?

·         What have we learned from this project?

·         Has all the documentation been completed and saved?

Account Management Basics - Finances

·          Work with the Finance Manager to understand your project’s budget. Find out what is included in the retainer, and make sure that the client is clear on this as well.

·          Ensure the resources booked in do not exceed the budget.

·          Anything that might push the project over budget should be flagged up to the Account Director as soon as it is discovered.

Account Management Basics - Production and Data

The more you know about the other aspects of the business, the more value you can add to your client by ensuring that procedures are streamlined, quality checks are in place and that your client is getting the best service possible.

·          Production: while the Production manager is the expert in the latest techniques, machinery, suppliers, etc., the following information is useful for the account team:

o         What are the options for printing my mailing?

o         What is the most economical way to print my mailing, e.g. 16-page booklets are cheaper to run than 20-page booklets.

o         What are the postage options for my mailing?

§          What is the maximum weight to maintain the existing postage rate? If the weight was decreased would the postage be cheaper?

§          For foreign mailings, is it faster, cheaper etc. to use Royal Mail or direct entry?

o         For ongoing projects, arrange for a visit to the printer to see your mailing in process.

o         Where is the inventory stored? How often is it counted? What is the client charged for stock/storage? How often does Production receive an inventory report?

o         Are inventory items weighed in?

o         Are mailing elements checked against a mailing grid and sample enclosing pack?

·          Data: it is important to understand the following in order to prevent errors and troubleshoot as necessary:

o         Who generates the file?

o         How is the file transmitted? FTP? Disk?

o         What is done to the data by each supplier/client department that handles it?

o         Who reviews the reject files?

o         How long is the data kept on file at each place that receives it? Are data protection laws/rules being followed?

Account Management Basics - Coordinating with the Creative Team

·          Create a “Crib Sheet” to refer to at the beginning of each project.  This should summarize in a few bullet points what the project is about, the brand positioning and any other details pertinent to your client.  This will help freelancers or anyone else who works on the project quickly understand the framework in which they are working. 

·          Conduct internal status meetings as required with your Designer, Copywriter, Production Manager, etc. to ensure that the project moves along according to schedule.

·          Creative Sign Off:

o        Ensure the sign-off process is understood by the team so that changes happen at the right stage, i.e. not five minutes before it is due to the client!

o        Don't skip proofreading.

o         The Account Handler should always ensure that the creative is on brand, and should review each execution thoroughly for factual errors, omissions, etc. The Account Handler should also check each phone number and web address to make sure it is correct and up and running.

Account Management Basics - Internal Meetings

Here's a quick tip for internal meetings:

Make the most of internal meetings by being organized, letting the team know in advance what will be covered (create an agenda if necessary) and follow up as soon as possible with a contact report so everyone knows what their action points are.

Account Management Basics - Building Trust with Clients

In this new series, I'll post some wisdom I've collected over the years on account management. Comments or additions are welcome, of course.

Building Trust with Clients

One of the most important roles of the account handler is to develop the client relationship. Besides building personal rapport, there are some things you can do to build your client’s trust.

·          Client meetings

o         Ensure the client knows what to expect at the meeting.

o         Ensure you are prepared.

o         Ensure the client is never put on the spot.

o         For meetings where your direct contact’s boss will be present, review the content of the meeting with your client in advance. Make sure s/he understands all of the concepts to be presented.

o         Always bring extra copies.

·          The approval process

o         Clients may have many things on their plates, and they may be working with many agencies. Make things as easy as possible for your client to review and approve. For instance, if sending over a second round for review, highlight the changes (either on the document if appropriate or in a covering note). While this takes extra time upfront, it speeds the approval process. Once the client is comfortable that you are ensuring his/her changes are made the approvals will be much quicker.

·          Agenda: if you have a lot to cover, write up an agenda. If your client may think this is too formal, then just keep it as a crib sheet for yourself in order to organize your thoughts and ensure the meeting progresses smoothly.

·          Adding value: clients like to see that you are thinking about their business. Bring along a new idea, a relevant article, etc. whenever possible.