In many client services teams, nurturing client relationships often falls to senior team members, while more junior members manage the day-to-day tasks. But there is a huge opportunity to develop your team, drive revenue and improve client satisfaction through empowering your Account Managers to build stronger connections with clients. Find out how in 6 ways account managers can build better client relationships

Account management in an advertising agency is a difficult role. It’s not surprising then that so many junior account handlers struggle from time to time. But what are the tell-tale signs that your junior account handlers are struggling? And what can you do to help better support them?

Excelling as an account manager and handling the pressures of the job takes a specific set of skills, which isn’t easy to master. With the right tools and techniques you can nurture your team to become skilled, strategic and empathetic account managers who are an asset to your business and customer relationships.

Hindsight is wonderful. The ability to go back and begin our career as an account handler again with the knowledge we now have? That’s a superpower we would gladly snatch at.

As part of our work to provide account management training and mentoring for junior account handlers, we sat down with five senior Client Services professionals to discover exactly what they wish they’d known when they first began working at creative agencies. Here’s what they had to say…

A well-considered creative brief is the backbone of any project’s success and yet, the quality is completely dependent on how well your client articulates the initial requirement. With that in mind, we’re sharing our thoughts on why you should include your client in the creative briefing process, and how to go about doing so.

Client feedback. Who’s stomach sinks at the phrase alone? For those of you working in agencies, it’s likely that you’ve often experienced a moment of dread when client feedback hits your inbox. But it shouldn’t be that way. Take a look at how The Secret AD believes we should approach client feedback, and how to reframe it as a useful tool, rather than a blocker, in delivering amazing work.

A great creative brief forms the building blocks from which all work flourishes. It can be the difference between very happy clients and award-winning work and working through many rounds of amends with frustrated clients. Learn more about what makes a great creative brief and how to write one.

A behind the scenes look at why agency account handlers are constantly firefighting, how it’s quietly draining your agency’s culture, quality and profitability, and the simple shifts that can finally break the cycle.

Strong client-agency relationships are like gold dust, but relationships can be fragile things. Sometimes the signs of a declining relationship are all there, but no one notices. Or, maybe you are aware something is amiss, but you’re not quite sure what to do about it.

Read five warning signs that indicate your agency-client relationship is showing signs of strain, plus actionable steps to help you address any issues.