What does a strategic accounts manager do?
A strategic accounts manager is an individual who is responsible for establishing and maintaining productive relationships with new and existing large clients. Strategic accounts managers assign staff members to provide help and support with client accounts and how they can be of service to the clients. They are required to create an appropriate sales strategy for each of their clients and identify needs. Strategic accounts manager must also create comprehensive reports on client sales and strategy to their upper management.
Strategic accounts manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real strategic accounts manager resumes:
- Manage a daily, weekly, and monthly sales funnels and pipelines to track accounts from initial call to close.
- Employ sales processes using SalesForce CRM tool.
- Maintain client schedules and records within SalesForce to keep campaigns on track.
- Increase ACR revenues by cross-selling products and services and ensuring client retention.
- Provide web demonstrations (GoToMeeting, WebEx) of on demand SaaS printing-marketplace solution.
- Support infrastructure and sales teams to meet technical, administration, and special support requirements.
- Authore several blogs and white papers specific to industry trends for converge computing and cloud deployments.
- Sell enterprise level SaaS and services that safeguard brands, reputation and revenue from online risks.
- Work closely with the fiber division to light new buildings, optimize infrastructure sales for new clients within the building.
- Revitalize and rebuild declining CRM procedures.
- Maintain CRM database with emphasis on opportunities and design registrations.
- Sell and market healthcare communication technology to hospitals and long-term health facilities.
- Present industry specific information and strategic solutions in a c-level professional manner.
- Launch aggressive domestic and international account development initiatives requiring establishment and management of OEM partnerships.
- Identify potential prospects, develop cross-selling opportunities, set appointments, and provide product information.
Strategic accounts manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 9% of Strategic Accounts Managers are proficient in Account Management, Healthcare, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Customer-service skills.
We break down the percentage of Strategic Accounts Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Account Management, 9%
Hold accountability for hardware and software sales, support and unified communications, application development, competitive intelligence and account management.
- Healthcare, 7%
Received national recognition for United HealthCare Medical Director/Quality Director Conference program development.
- Customer Service, 6%
Manage a portfolio of 500+ commercial accounts working directly to provide superior customer service satisfaction and maintain long term business relationships.
- Salesforce, 5%
Maintained client schedules and records within SalesForce to keep campaigns on track.
- CRM, 5%
Maintained CRM database with emphasis on opportunities and design registrations.
- Digital Marketing, 5%
Provided in-depth strategy and analysis for client's digital marketing campaigns that garnered top placement in SERPs and generated revenue.
"account management," "healthcare," and "customer service" are among the most common skills that strategic accounts managers use at work. You can find even more strategic accounts manager responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a strategic accounts manager to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what strategic accounts managers do because "sales managers must collect and interpret complex data to target the most promising geographic areas and demographic groups, and determine the most effective sales strategies." Additionally, a strategic accounts manager resume shows how strategic accounts managers use analytical skills: "direct sales include professional services, data center virtualization, data center automation, and enterprise level billing and provisioning systems. "
Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling strategic accounts manager duties is communication skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "sales managers need to work with colleagues and customers, so they must be able to communicate clearly." According to a strategic accounts manager resume, here's how strategic accounts managers can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "performed sales presentations and all aspects of day to day communication between new and existing client opportunities. "
Customer-service skills. strategic accounts managers are also known for customer-service skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to strategic accounts manager responsibilities, because "when helping to make a sale, sales managers must listen and respond to the customer’s needs." A strategic accounts manager resume example shows how customer-service skills is used in the workplace: "direct sales and management of a large, complex, functionally and globally dispersed sales channel and customer partnership. "
Leadership skills. For certain strategic accounts manager responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "leadership skills." The day-to-day duties of a strategic accounts manager rely on this skill, as "sales managers must be able to evaluate how their sales staff performs and must develop strategies for meeting sales goals." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what strategic accounts managers do: "facilitate executive business reviews annually with key accounts and establish deeper relationships with account leadership by discovering and solving pertinent issues. "
The three companies that hire the most strategic accounts managers are:
- Graybar124 strategic accounts managers jobs
- Salesforce91 strategic accounts managers jobs
- Grant Thornton44 strategic accounts managers jobs
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Compare different strategic accounts managers
Strategic accounts manager vs. Manager, account executive
An account executive manager is responsible for handling client accounts and leading the account management procedures to promote the client's brand image in the market and maintain the highest satisfaction. Account executive managers work with the marketing and sales team to identify sales and promotional strategies that would increase revenues and product profits. They also review the current market trends to develop business opportunities according to client needs and public demands. An account executive manager coordinates with the clients for regular updates and informs them of business plan adjustments as needed.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, strategic accounts manager responsibilities require skills like "salesforce," "crm," "digital marketing," and "customer relationships." Meanwhile a typical manager, account executive has skills in areas such as "product knowledge," "virtualization," "post sales," and "sales territory." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Managers, account executive really shine in the technology industry with an average salary of $87,422. Comparatively, strategic accounts managers tend to make the most money in the technology industry with an average salary of $90,600.The education levels that managers, account executive earn slightly differ from strategic accounts managers. In particular, managers, account executive are 4.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a strategic accounts manager. Additionally, they're 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Strategic accounts manager vs. Outside sales manager
An outside sales manager is responsible for monitoring the sales staff performance in selling goods and services to existing and potential clients and ensuring that the team meets sales objectives. Outside sales managers set reasonable sales targets and establish techniques to maximize the staff's efficiency and productivity. They regularly connect with the clients to determine their needs and make any adjustments to business plans as needed. An outside sales manager should have excellent knowledge of the current market trends to identify business opportunities that would generate more revenues and resources.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real strategic accounts manager resumes. While strategic accounts manager responsibilities can utilize skills like "healthcare," "salesforce," "digital marketing," and "customer relationships," outside sales managers use skills like "product knowledge," "sales territory," "increase sales," and "general contractors."
On average, outside sales managers earn a higher salary than strategic accounts managers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, outside sales managers earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $78,067. Whereas strategic accounts managers have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $90,600.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Outside sales managers tend to reach lower levels of education than strategic accounts managers. In fact, they're 7.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Strategic accounts manager vs. Account executive/sales manager
An Account Executive/Sales Manager manages client accounts, building positive client relationships in the process. Part of their job is to secure sales, which requires them to conduct research and analysis to find new business and client opportunities, generate leads, offer products and services to clients through calls and correspondence, arrange appointments, and process payments. There are instances where they must assist clients by resolving issues and concerns, ensuring client satisfaction. Moreover, they are also responsible for developing sales plans and strategies while implementing the company's policies and regulations among staff.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a strategic accounts manager is likely to be skilled in "salesforce," "crm," "digital marketing," and "customer relationships," while a typical account executive/sales manager is skilled in "account executives," "product knowledge," "sales professionals," and "real estate."
Account executive/sales managers earn the best pay in the media industry, where they command an average salary of $51,472. Strategic accounts managers earn the highest pay from the technology industry, with an average salary of $90,600.Most account executive/sales managers achieve a similar degree level compared to strategic accounts managers. For example, they're 4.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Strategic accounts manager vs. Account development manager
An account development manager's responsibilities revolve around securing and reaching sales targets, creating business plans, developing strategies, and building positive relationships with clients. They must also reach out to clients through calls and correspondence, offer products and services, and address any issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. There are also instances when they have to collect and process payments, perform follow-up calls, negotiate contracts, and even open and close accounts. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Types of strategic accounts manager
Updated January 8, 2025
