To be successful every software & hardware development company should have both technical and business proficient crews. Account managers, as business team members, play a crucial role in attracting and retaining new and existing customers.
Responsibilities and needed skills
Communication with the customers
It’s more comfortable for the client to communicate with one person from the beginning of the project to the moment of its execution. An account manager communicates with the client on behalf of the entire outsourcing company, while bearing great responsibility. On the one hand, he should be well experienced in technical aspects and trends to be able to advise his customers at every stage of the outsourcing development process. Well-versed in technology issues, the manager will help determine the project budget. On the other hand, he must be a specialist in marketing and communication to interact with different clients.
Project Management
The account manager is not only the link between the client and the outsourcing development team, but he is also the coordinator of all communications within the project. The specialist assesses customer needs and brings them to the technical team, communicates with the client, and guides the project in one direction or another, depending on the situation and customer needs. The project must be completed within the agreed timeframe, and the account manager monitors the implementation of work and compliance with deadlines.
These responsibilities require clear logic, good communication skills, and greater stress tolerance.
Development cycle support
The development cycle can be complex and time-consuming. It is divided into stages, at each of which decisions need to be made. Account managers determine the offer, customer evaluation, and vendor selection for these stages. Their goal is to create the best position for the outsourcing company as a business partner for a given client.
Partnership&Trust
The account manager must inspire confidence that the needs of the customers are understood. A client whose expectations are met is likely to become a regular customer, and will also recommend the company as a reliable partner for outsourcing.
As a rule, customers of the software and hardware outsourcing design companies need a unique customized product, whether it be an application or a device. By translating the proposals of the technical team and finding the most suitable option, the account manager helps the client get an excellent product that will serve to strengthen the business. It forms the basis of a long-term relationship.
Teamwork
One of the most important tasks of a manager is to combine the efforts of various teams to make a software or hardware product that satisfies all the needs of the client. Thus, it helps the outsourcing company to develop faster and achieve financial growth. The manager contributes to clearer and more successful strategic planning. These responsibilities require leadership qualities and the ability to work both independently and with the team.
Quite often an outsourcing team is located geographically far from the client. Remote work in this case has certain specifics, such as time zone differences, or cultural and national characteristics. The manager’s task is to smooth out all misunderstandings as much as possible and make the client’s collaboration with the company convenient and profitable.
The account manager is one of the key figures in an outsourcing company. He must have outstanding communicative and personal qualities, must be a link between the client and the company. A talented manager is as valuable to a company as a talented developer.
