Account Management Secrets

Account managers may be missing out on enormous growth potential by merely focusing on retention. The discussion emphasizes the A10X Growth System, which encourages tackling bigger client problems and cultivating radical curiosity. Participants are urged to adopt an ownership mindset, reframe their relationships with clients, and remove low-value tasks. This approach shifts the focus from transactional interactions to meaningful partnerships, paving the way for substantial revenue increases and deeper connections.

Adrian Davis, President and CEO of Whetstone Inc. and author, discusses how account managers can transform their role from sellers to guides in their clients' stories. He emphasizes the power of storytelling, urging managers to identify clients' deeper aspirations and underlying threats beyond mere competitors. Davis explores the challenges of the status quo and the importance of asking insightful questions to uncover true urgency. His insights provide a framework for improving client relationships and deeper engagement through strategic narrative.

Brad Englert, a former Accenture partner and CIO at the University of Texas, shares his insights on the critical skill of influence in account management. He highlights how building trust with executives is essential, especially for those early in their careers. Brad discusses making impactful Quarterly Business Reviews and emphasizes the importance of genuine client relationships over transactional ones. Listeners learn strategies for navigating power dynamics, engaging skeptics, and turning detractors into advocates, fostering deeper connections for successful renewals.

Todd O'Donnell, who transitioned from tech sales at IBM and Oracle to lead one of Canada’s top insurance agencies, shares invaluable insights. He emphasizes treating account management like a business, focusing on building referral-driven relationships. Todd discusses the importance of trust in hiring, using Sandler sales training for effective communication, and developing a supportive coaching culture. Learn how he creates a unique client experience and fosters team growth without micromanagement, proving that accountability and consistency drive success.

Account managers who lead with business acumen, creative insight and clear boundaries are the ones who drive real growth.   What happens when agencies start questioning whether account management still matters? Jess Manganelli has seen it firsthand, and she’s got strong opinions. As the founder of Betts & Betz, she works with creative agencies to build high-performing account teams that don’t just keep the trains running but move the business forward.   Jess and Alex discuss why some agencies are scaling back on account roles, and why that decision often backfires. They talk about what the job really demands: a deep understanding of how both the client and the agency make money, the confidence to lead from wherever you sit, and the willingness to have hard conversations instead of dodging them.   Where do most account managers get stuck? Jess points to a lack of business fluency and a fear of pushing back. She offers ways to shift that, starting with how to frame a tough conversation without sounding defensive or deferential.   If you’ve ever felt like your job description misses the point, or wondered how to grow into a more strategic role, Jess and Alex’s conversation will resonate.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 The Real Value of Account Management 02:26 Is Account Management Dead? 06:05 What Agencies Actually Need from Account Managers 08:23 Why Business Acumen Matters 12:27 Balancing Client Goals with Agency Health 20:00 How to Handle Tough Client Conversations 27:39 Curiosity as a Strategic Skill 31:30 Traits That Set Great Account Managers Apart 33:53 Removing Hurdles to Great Work 37:13 Fixing the Sales-to-Account Handoff 43:00 The Tucker Inner Concept   Links Connect with Jess Manganelli: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessmanganelli/ Website: https://www.bettsandbetz.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Brent Adamson, co-founder of A to B Insight and co-author of The Challenger Sale, joins Alex Raymond to discuss rethinking account management. They delve into the misconception that customer satisfaction directly leads to growth, emphasizing the concept of 'customer improvement.' Brent argues that to drive expansion, account managers must help clients change their perspectives rather than merely maintain the status quo. The duo also explores the importance of customer confidence and the nuances between customer success and account management.

Joanna Hagelberger, an account management leader and founding member of Amplify, shares transformative insights on client relationships. She reveals how a single bold question about a client's five-year goals led to an astonishing 200x revenue increase. Joanna emphasizes the importance of curiosity in account management, urging professionals to dig deeper than surface-level conversations. Additionally, she discusses the need for strong internal alignment and avoiding common segmentation mistakes, empowering account managers to act like CEOs of their accounts.

Guy Rubin, Founder and CEO of Ebsta, dives into the transformative role of existing customers in driving revenue. He highlights that over half of new revenue comes from current clients, urging a shift in sales strategy toward relationship management. Guy emphasizes the importance of C-suite engagement during quarterly business reviews, noting those connections lead to better upselling opportunities. He also discusses the concept of engagement scoring to track relationship momentum and the growing disparity between top-performing and average account teams.

Carly Agar, Founder and CEO of Carly Agar Training, offers expert guidance for account managers navigating today's competitive job market. She emphasizes the importance of intentional job applications over spray-and-pray strategies. Carly discusses how to impress hiring managers by owning your book of business and building internal champions. The conversation touches on leveraging AI for career advancement and the critical need for relationship-building and mentorship in professional development. Tune in for actionable insights!

AI isn’t just changing the tools we use, it’s reshaping the entire conversation around business value, accountability, and risk.    In this episode, Alex Raymond sits down with Mark Stouse, the CEO of ProofAnalytics.ai, to talk about how AI is driving a seismic shift in how companies operate. The core message: transparency and accountability are no longer optional, and gut instinct won’t cut it.   Mark explains how AI is collapsing the “gray zone” of ambiguity in business, forcing teams to prove value with hard data. He also shares a critical legal shift from early 2023: a Delaware court ruling that expanded fiduciary duty to all company officers, not just CEOs and CFOs, making risk management everyone’s responsibility.   You’ll hear how customer success is more than a renewal engine. It’s a strategic early warning system that should be treated as both a value creator and a multiplier. And you’ll learn why the old accounting mindset, focused only on past performance, can’t keep up.   If you're leading customer accounts, managing renewals, or influencing post-sales strategy, this conversation will reframe how you think about risk, impact, and your role in the AI-powered business landscape.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Introduction 03:25 AI as a Super Technology & What It Changes 04:44 How Fiduciary Duty Now Includes Functional Leaders 06:12 Case Study: CRM Data Fraud and Legal Risk 09:54 AI, Legal Accountability & Market Volatility Collide 12:54 Why Traditional Accounting Thinking Falls Short 14:31 Causal Analytics vs. Predictive Tools: What Leaders Need 17:34 The Long Game: Proving Impact in Customer Success 19:28 Customer Success as an Early Warning System 22:28 The Problem with BI Dashboards and Misread Data 25:46 How to Start Risk Conversations at Your Company 27:21 Forecast Risk vs. Enterprise Risk 28:00 Why T-Shaped Skills Matter in the Age of AI 29:24 What the Future of AI Looks Like for Teams   Links Connect with Mark Stouse: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markstouse/ Website: https://www.proofanalytics.ai/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm