What does a Senior Account Manager do?

Although a senior account manager is a company representative who provides excellent customer service to top clients, he or she is ultimately responsible for increasing sales. In preparation for growing the company's most profitable accounts, he or she must spend time analyzing each client's needs by communicating with his or her contact person. Senior account managers build client relationships as well as acquire new accounts. They also must coordinate top customer accounts by using a computer database system to keep track of orders, back orders and shipping information.

Tracking the activity on key customer accounts is an essential part of what a senior account manager does. By understanding what a certain company orders and when, he or she becomes more knowledgeable in how to better serve that account by suggesting additional products that may help the business save time or money. Since the senior, or key, account manager typically handles a bigger client workload than the other representatives, that alone warrants an accurate system for tracking. Such computer software systems also enable account managers to have adequate amounts of client information handy to make follow-up on accounts easier.

A senior account manager must regularly follow through on client orders. This means checking for customer satisfaction with the delivery service as well as the products. Senior account managers often travel both locally and nationally, or even internationally, to meet with the company's top clients. These in-person interactions often help solidify client relationships as well as offer the opportunity to introduce new products or services. Making client presentations is often a job requirement for senior account managers.

Negotiating prices with clients is something senior account managers do regularly. To do this effectively, they must first check competitors' prices on similar products, then negotiate with clients on providing a lower cost for them based on increased order amounts or other criteria. A senior account manager may negotiate a standing order with a client that is a regularly delivered amount of specific products.

Senior account managers usually must attend regular department meetings. He or she may report to a sales manager. Attending sales seminars or luncheons may be a part of a senior account manager's job. Requirements for senior account managers may include growing key accounts by a certain percentage each month or other set time period. As account managers often earn bonuses, they must usually meet set quotas first before being able to receive a bonus amount for increasing client sales.