Account Manager Training

According to research from McKinsey, customers think they make decisions based on product and price, but they actually are more focused on service and support. When making a major purchase, about 31% of companies say that the most important differentiator is the customer experience. That’s much higher than product features (19%), price ($18), or reliability (17%). It turns out that customers care about the service they receive, from the sales process to customer success.

In B2B companies, many sales leaders were trained under the perpetual license model that dominated until a little over a decade ago. A perpetual license model focuses almost exclusively on closing the deal. That’s why those who are familiar with this model think that their differentiator needs to be price or product. These are the things that help convince one-time customers to sign a deal.

But the way that B2B companies approach sales began to change in 2008, when the recurring revenue model emerged. Tech companies that had been relying on the perpetual license model began making the switch. Software as a Service, or SaaS, quickly became the most effective sales strategy. Account managers who mastered this model were best able to meet the needs of their customers, especially their enterprise customers. 

It’s clear from the number of people doing online searches for “key account management training” or “key account management certification” that many sales professionals are looking to learn more about the ins and outs of the recurring revenue model. They are eager to put processes in place that shift the emphasis from closing the deal to forming long-term relationships. But where should they turn for the best certifications for account managers? Thousands of sales professionals have already chosen courses from Winning by Design.

The industry leader in accelerating and optimizing recurring revenue for B2B organizations, Winning by Design offers account manager training that helps sales professionals understand the best ways to help customers get the most from a product. They learn the most effective key account management strategies from some of the best names in the business.

No wonder our account manager courses get high marks from our students. “I cannot recommend Winning by Design enough because it really helped open my eyes to what I may be doing well in my role today and, more importantly, where my areas of improvement are,” said Shahan Noorani, Territory Account Manager at Uber. “Even the little things make the biggest difference, and I was able to capture that information through this course. I just wish I would have had access to this sooner to start implementing these strategies sooner and reap the benefits in my customer conversations.”

Account Manager Training Online

While some companies use the terms account executive and account manager interchangeably, there are some big differences. Account executives focus on the initial sale. They conduct in-depth research about potential customers and meet with their teams to ask them questions about the pain points they are encountering and offer potential solutions. In most sales methodologies today, they strive to come across as less of a salesperson and more as a trusted advisor by helping the customer find the best way to solve their problems.

Account managers maintain the relationship with the customer after they have committed to a partnership with your company. They are responsible for the ongoing customer relationship and work to identify ways they can use your products to reach their goals. Companies typically create account management teams to focus on customer expansion so that account executives can focus more on acquiring new customers. 

Account managers also differ from customer success managers. Account managers are responsible for managing the commercial side of the customer relationship. Customer success manages the day-to-day relationships with customers and ensures that they are achieving the impact that they expect.

Because their roles are so unique, the best account management courses focus on the skills account managers need to succeed. Winning by Design’s Revenue Academy offers open courses geared toward account managers that focus on building the customer relationship. It’s among the best account manager certification programs available. 

At Winning by Design, our online account manager training sessions are led by professionals who understand the role of an account manager. Many have even worked as account managers, so they provide valuable insights into how to develop the customer relationships. They also work closely with participants on how to solve their own business challenges. “The most helpful part is having the opportunity to be guided by a professional and asking questions on these topics,” said Roos Tros, Senior Business Development Representative at Foleon. “I would highly recommend Winning by Design to any sales professional wanting to take the next step in their career.”

“I took the account management course and loved all the ideas, experiences and strategies shared during the course weeks,” said Amanda Nascimento, Account Growth Manager at Pipefy. “All the lessons were practical and easily applied in everyday life. We had great results.”

Digital Account Manager Training

If you’re new to account management, you’ll definitely want to build up your skillset with the right kinds of courses. There are dozens of account management courses for beginners, but how do you find the right one for you?

First of all, look for those that include more than just lectures. There should be plenty of opportunities for classroom discussion so that you can bring up the issues you are facing in the office. You might be surprised to learn that most people are encountering the same challenges. Breakout sessions should allow you to work on solving problems with other professionals.

Winning by Design offers expansive and top-rated sales training courses where open classes are tiered for sales professionals of every level. Our digital account manager training makes new employees feel confident and prepared for their first day on the job. These courses are also great for helping those transitioning into an account manager role. “I am a first-time seller in a new role, so Winning by Design gave me some great foundations,” said Account Manager Alex Magers, who took a course with his new team. “They represent the latest and greatest in sales strategy. The Winning by Design team has equipped me with some great tools to add to my repertoire in leading effective meetings and leveraging active listening.”

Of course, if you already have experience in account management, Winning by Design has advanced account manager programs designed to take you to the next level as well. Our top-rated open courses and private coaching offer a wide range of key account management training materials that will aid you in your interactions with customers. Our students constantly refer back to our best-in-class frameworks and detailed blueprints that cover every part of the sales process.

Strategic Account Manager Training

According to SAMA, the nonprofit association dedicated to strategic account management, 71% of B2B customers are willing to switch suppliers if they can get a better deal with another vendor. That means it’s more important than ever to make sure that your company is seen as indispensable to customers. The right kind of strategic account management training will give you the edge.

Winning by Design’s online account management certification program focuses on the SPICED methodology to provide a common language for SaaS companies. With this methodology, we teach your entire revenue team how to focus less on one-time sales and more on creating lasting value for the customer. With everyone on your team using the same methodology, you can make the most of the recurring revenue model.

SPICED is designed for all stages of the customer journey, moving them seamlessly along the way from Business Development to Sales to Customer Success. It’s ideal for strategic account manager training because it helps you better understand your customer. During the sales process, your company’s account executives use SPICED to analyze a Situation, figure out Pain, and help identify achievable Impact. This same methodology works equally well after a customer has purchased from your company.

If you enroll in Winning by Design’s courses, our online account management courses free you up to do your best possible work. You’ll be joining the teams from more than 600 companies that train their go-to-market teams with Winning by Design’s pioneering sales training courses and coaching. Winning by Design has earned more than 500 five-star reviews on G2 and is ranked among the best in the following categories: Sales Training, Sales Consulting, Customer Success Training, Account Based Marketing Consulting, and Revenue Operations Services.

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