Bespoke account management training: the key to unlocking your team’s success

The value of highly skilled and adaptable account managers in creative agencies shouldn’t be underestimated. With the right training and development, you can build a knowledgeable client services team that can help you improve client relationships, grow your agency and give you a competitive edge in the market. When they don’t have all the tools and skills, it can lead to some major headaches for your business.

A lot of agencies try and fix issues in-house, but the reality is seniors just like you are already stretched and don’t have the time or the people to deliver the necessary training. And that’s where Blueberry Spark comes in, with bespoke account management training tailored to address your team’s challenges.

Book bespoke account management training now

In this blog, we’ll run through four key risks of poor training and share how bespoke client services training could benefit your team, and your business.

The real cost of poor account management

Operational disruption

When account handlers aren’t sure how to manage projects properly, mistakes can easily be made and deadlines missed, causing wasted resources and delays that can really throw things off track for your resource managers and other team members. This can have an impact on the agency working environment and culture too. People in the studio don't want to work with the account manager that hasn't got a clue what's going on!

Financial issues

Poorly managed projects or dropping the ball on meeting client deadlines can lead to projects being pulled, which can, naturally, have a significant impact on your billings. Plus, if your team isn't properly trained in financial management, it can make it tough for them to plan ahead, forecast accurately and provide the information you need to make critical business decisions.

Poor client experience

The devil’s in the detail when it comes to keeping projects on track and clients happy. If clients are left frustrated by missed deadlines, late work, or work that doesn’t meet their brief, it can have a lasting impact on the business relationship and their likelihood to work with you again.

Increased staff turnover

A lack of training can leave employees feeling unsupported or restless due to slow progression or the inability to manage their workload effectively. When morale is low and staff turnover is high in client services, it can create disruption internally with other team members needing to pick up projects part way through. This, in turn, leaves room for error and impacts client relationships. Plus, the time and cost associated with replacing staff is far greater than investing in your existing team in the first place.

How can bespoke client service training help you?

There is a shortage in the industry of talented account managers and client work can suffer as a result. With development and wellbeing often cited as key reasons for leaving, you can make sure your team feels looked after by investing in them.

Working with agency leadership, we co-create unique training and mentoring solutions with time-stretched seniors just like you who recognise their team’s potential and want to level them up. Because empowered and confident account handlers are crucial to delivering truly exceptional work for your clients.

By working with an experienced outsider (who has all the intel of an insider), you’ll receive fresh, impartial guidance, which can be applied to specific scenarios within your agency.

Our training sessions provide a confidential, safe space for your juniors to ask questions and share challenges that they might otherwise just keep bottled up. They’re designed to be interactive, allowing attendees to work through real-life experiences, and build valuable skills to take back to their roles.

What does Blueberry Spark account management training involve?

Our training is available as a lunch and learn, longer workshop/s, a series of bite size training sessions and in-depth account management courses. All training focuses on core account manager skills to help your client services team run their accounts seamlessly.

Here are just a few of the training sessions we offer:

●     How to run a status call with a client effectively

●     Managing your time and priorities

●     Making meetings unforgettable (for all the right reasons!)

●     Focus on finance (scoping projects properly, POs, invoicing, accruals, forecasting and looking at the bigger picture of the health of the account)

Get in touch to find out more about bespoke training and book your account management workshops.

Built different

It’s not always easy to remember information from training workshops and apply it in different scenarios at a later date. At The Secret AD we believe in a long-term approach to training. We continue to support your juniors via an included longer-term membership as they go on to implement what they've learnt in the workshops.

Benefits of bespoke client services training

★    All training can be really valuable, but bespoke training ensures that you're filling specific knowledge gaps and empowering your teams to achieve more

★    Boost your team’s confidence in the working environment (both internally and externally) by providing essential tools and information needed to manage accounts effectively.

★    Improve customer service and grow client relationships - equip your teams with the skills they need to provide exceptional service to your clients and ensure a smooth and satisfying customer experience.

★    Address operational issues and financial issues. Your team will learn how to manage deadlines like pros, making sure everything runs smoothly and on schedule.

★    Get a sustainable competitive advantage in today's challenging business landscape.

★    Help employees remain engaged and committed to their roles, which can ultimately lead to increased job satisfaction and long-term retention.

Here’s what our recent trainees say

“Personally I enjoyed the feedback given by our discipline leads. There was a safe space to chat through any underlying issues people were facing in the team and look for ways to resolve them.”

“It’s nice to just sit in a room and chat with people of a similar level, we don’t take time to do that enough.”

“Great LEGO building exercise. Additionally, helpful perspective from Sally on what tends to work well when trying to collaborate effectively with other disciplines. Good duration too — kept everyone engaged.” Havas Lynx group

By investing in training for your client services teams you can equip your account handlers with the skills and knowledge to thrive.

Book your bespoke account management training today.