What does a Technical Account Manager do?

A technical account manager works directly with customers and company staff to ensure that service quality standards are constantly maintained. A person in this job is typically required to facilitate interdepartmental communication and solve account issues. Daily activities often include coordination of staff and company resources to resolve problems and prevent them from recurring, and the manager may need to implement and train staff on new company policies and procedures. Many work in a supervisory capacity and step in only when customer expectations are not being met.

Many times, a technical account manager position will be filled from within the company. Someone who fully understands company policies and procedures is often more capable of operating within the best interests of the organization. Managers with experience in a variety of account and customer relation situations are ideal candidates for the job. Loyalty to the company and its values is an important trait in someone given the responsibilities of handling a wide variety of accounts and personnel concerns. The best managers are often leaders who search for inventive solutions that increase stability.

Individuals in this role may be asked to evaluate the performance of an employee or the viability of a customer relationship. It is common for a manager to be assigned a particular account that is performing below expectations. He or she typically reviews the actions taken by the employees who handled the account in the past, and some seek feedback directly from customers to investigate the extent of a problem. The manager generally reaches a conclusion based on personal experience and serving the best interests of the company.

The job description of technical account managers might change a daily basis. Taking the same approach to every account problem and customer concern frequently leads to failure, so a successful manager must learn to treat every situation individually and learn from the past mistakes of themselves and others. One who relies solely on the information in an account often misses the real-world situations confronting employees and their clientele. Making changes that benefit everyone involved frequently requires an open-minded approach and a desire to improve.

Some managers are asked to create comprehensive reports, which typically detail how decisions and policy changes have affected the accounts they handle. Organizational and analytical skills help this individual evaluate his or her own performance to make better choices in the future.