Technical account managers help customers with their technical products and services.
When customers purchase products and services, accounts are created for them. For technical products and services, a technical account manager often oversees these sales accounts. The technical account manager is a part of the sales team of a particular company. These managers are a blend of customer service and product sales, since they not only assist customers with their services, but also try to market new services to existing customers.
Function
These managers help customers make changes to accounts such as updating payment information and product information. These managers are also responsible for helping companies forecast revenue based on customer accounts, according to Spirent Communications. These managers also make product presentations to customers. They must also conduct evaluations of the company's resources in order to determine if customer requests are manageable. The technical account manager is also responsible for informing customers about other products and services provided by the company they work for.
Conditions
Like many sales managers, technical account managers sometimes have to travel in order to conduct product demonstrations. Technical account managers are often put under a lot of stress since their jobs are often dependent on their ability to market products and services to customers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, sales managers usually work 40 hours a week.
Skills
A bachelor's degree, often in a field related to the industry that the technical account manager works in, is needed. Technical account managers must have good interpersonal skills, since a lot of their work revolves around building relationships with customers. They must also have thorough knowledge of the technical products that are provided by the company they work for. They must have problem-solving skills to deal with problems that customers have brought to their attention, according to Spirent Communications. They must be able to work under pressure since customer requests often occur in an unpredictable manner. At Nielsen//NetRatings, the technical account manager must be proficient using the Internet. The technical account manager must also stay up-to-date on the latest technical information.
Prospects
The need for sales managers such as technical account managers is expected to grow by 12 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While companies continue to need sales managers to bring in new customers, the Internet and other technological advances have made sales managers more efficient at work.
Earnings
Sales account managers earned between $28,960 and $88,970 in 2010, according to payscale.com. Entry-level managers sometimes earn as much as $42,692. These managers earn the most when they are self-employed. They often earn performance bonuses when they are able to market a lot of products to customers.
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