Account Manager Interview

Always Be Closing

Hi guys

I have a good few interviews lined up for Account Manager positions over the coming weeks, positions that will obviously involve me working with clients to expand or include the products/features sets that are most applicable to their business model, industry, selling behaviours, as well as other elements of relationship management

Whilst I have over 10 years experience in sales, my experience lies predominantly in Residential (B2C) rather than Business (B2B)

Obviously over the years I will have had different KPI's, Targets and Sales numbers to hit.

However, I will be asked in these interviews about stuff like quarterly revenue generated etc which is not my forte as, while I have been technically 'managing accounts', my remit was only ever volume of sales and never dealing with total income generated by me for the company.

How do I broach this in the interview - I don't want to fall down on the fact that they're looking for someone with B2B account experience whilst I've been B2C solely

Thanks!

Always Be Closing

Anyone?

cloneslad

In my previous career I used to interview and manage Account Managers in a B2B role. The accounts were already in place and any new accounts were brought in by the business development team.

I'm not sure there's much you can do for the total income generated or the upsells done throughout a given period, if you haven't done that before then you either need to lie or turn the question into something you have done.

For example, if I was to ask you about the total quarterly revenue you generated with a client and you had only done one sale with them and moved to the next sale with another customer, you can turn this around by saying your previous roles involved constant cold calling on customers and making new sales everyday. Doing this required you to build trust with the customer in order to make that sale etc etc.

Making a sale is making a sale regardless of whether it's with an existing client or a new customer. What you need to show with an Account Management position is that you have the ability to build relationships. To get this accords in the interview you need to be friendly, approachable and someone that the interviewer (most likely a manager / director who'll be over you) will think 'They're smart and socaiable, I would like to work with them'.

I'd recommend learning as much as you can about the company and the products being sold. It's important that you don't come across as a 'know it all' - I've had a few of these people in interviews and they never got hired as I needed them to gel with their co-workers and knew it wouldn't work.

Honestly, if you've got the interviews they think you are good enough at sales for the role. What they are checking is how you'll fit into he organisation. Just be friendly, show how you can build relationships, understand what the products / services are that you are selling so you can give hypothetical situations of when you would offer them to a client and just relax, oh and be ready to answer why you want to move fro business development to Account Management. Again, use what they are looking for in the role to build your answers.

Don't be afraid to ask about the team, the office environment etc. It shows an interest in the position and in your co-workers.

Always Be Closing

cloneslad wrote: »

In my previous career I used to interview and manage Account Managers in a B2B role. The accounts were already in place and any new accounts were brought in by the business development team.

I'm not sure there's much you can do for the total income generated or the upsells done throughout a given period, if you haven't done that before then you either need to lie or turn the question into something you have done.

For example, if I was to ask you about the total quarterly revenue you generated with a client and you had only done one sale with them and moved to the next sale with another customer, you can turn this around by saying your previous roles involved constant cold calling on customers and making new sales everyday. Doing this required you to build trust with the customer in order to make that sale etc etc.

Making a sale is making a sale regardless of whether it's with an existing client or a new customer. What you need to show with an Account Management position is that you have the ability to build relationships. To get this accords in the interview you need to be friendly, approachable and someone that the interviewer (most likely a manager / director who'll be over you) will think 'They're smart and socaiable, I would like to work with them'.

I'd recommend learning as much as you can about the company and the products being sold. It's important that you don't come across as a 'know it all' - I've had a few of these people in interviews and they never got hired as I needed them to gel with their co-workers and knew it wouldn't work.

Honestly, if you've got the interviews they think you are good enough at sales for the role. What they are checking is how you'll fit into he organisation. Just be friendly, show how you can build relationships, understand what the products / services are that you are selling so you can give hypothetical situations of when you would offer them to a client and just relax, oh and be ready to answer why you want to move fro business development to Account Management. Again, use what they are looking for in the role to build your answers.

Don't be afraid to ask about the team, the office environment etc. It shows an interest in the position and in your co-workers.

Really appreciate you replying

Gonna PM you a couple of questions, hope this is ok?

cloneslad

Always Be Closing wrote: »

Really appreciate you replying

Gonna PM you a couple of questions, hope this is ok?

Tried to reply to you but you have private messages turned off so you can't receive them

Always Be Closing

cloneslad wrote: »

Tried to reply to you but you have private messages turned off so you can't receive them

They should be on now

Always Be Closing

turned them on now