WTF is the point of Account Management in an Agency?

I grew up in the world of ad agency account management. Even after all this time, I still find the role of account management difficult to define. I’ve even been approached at times by agency members asking, “what is the point of account management, anyway?”

That’s probably not a fair question to ask, but people love to dunk on the role of account management.

It might be because we care for many administrative tasks that may not feel important, we can sit through an entire presentation without saying a word, or maybe we talk too much without saying much at all, and we tend to travel in packs which makes us look like a heard of sheep.

I’ve heard account people called “bag carriers (remember portfolio bags?),” “puppets” and “useless ass hats,” but I would say strong account management is invaluable.

One way I use to describe the role of account management is by saying, “it’s tough to define, but you can tell when it’s not there.” Definition through deprivation. When you take away really strong account management, it’s noticeable.

But that probably doesn’t paint the full picture.

So, to force myself to provide a definition, I’m pretending there is an oscillating fan in front of me. If you know me, I get extremely bothered by the
breeze-no-breeze experience. The only way I can make the fan stop is if I conjure up a definition of solid account management.

Most of the time I see this definition:

You are the liaison between the agency and the client.

There is some truth to this.

However, this definition positions account people only as some sort of necessary layer. The switch board that connects clients with agency services. Account management is more than just a pipe through which work and communication passes. We should aspire to be more than the large intestine of the agency, folks.

Another definition I’ve come across:

You are the leader of an account or a portfolio of accounts.

Again, this is true. Leadership ability is certainly a core value to excellent account management. This also captures the notion that you are responsible for everything that happens on the account, which is equally true of the role.

However, leadership is not the only aspect to world class account management.

Perhaps the definition is something like this:

Excellent account management manifests agency and client success.

What I like about this definition:

1) It’s active, not passive.

2) It makes the account role responsible for an outcome. You want your efforts to make a material, positive impact on the client’s business, their brand and the agency’s work.

3) It reminds account management to make contributions rather than send emails and wait for the work to get done.

So, to me, that’s the point of agency account management. Manifest success.

If you are not fulfilling this role properly, you may in fact be an ass hat. And no one wants to be an ass hat.