What is your preferred method of contacting a customer?

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As an account manager, you will be in almost constant contact with the customers on your list. Often that means calling them on the phone, sending them an email, or instant messaging them. The hiring manager will likely ask you which method of contact you prefer when dealing with customers. They know that each contact method requires a certain set of skills. This question helps determine whether you have the customer service skills necessary to perform effectively in the role.

How to Craft the Best Answer

When answering this question, senegal phone number material explain all the ways you communicate with your customers. If you primarily use email, be sure to mention that you send professional, direct emails.
If you prefer phone calls because they're more personal, mention your plan for initiating communication. Do you ask about the weather or your client's day before talking business? Or do you get right to the point? Your answer to this question will tell the hiring manager a lot about your customer service and relationship-building skills.


Describe a time when you had to deal with an angry customer.

How did you handle the situation and what was the outcome? In an ideal world, all customers are happy with the service and help they receive from their account manager. However, sometimes this isn’t the case, whether it’s because of a mistake made by the account manager or a lack of cooperation from technology. How a candidate handles adversity will tell the hiring manager whether the candidate’s skills and abilities are a good fit for the role.

How to Craft the Best Response

Consider a time when your customer was unhappy and think about how you resolved their issue. Was the problem bigger than you could handle and you had to call other team members for help? Did you have a strong relationship with your customer? Describe the situation in detail and acknowledge your mistakes if they were your responsibility. Then, explain how you resolved the issue and retained the customer.

What suggestions could you make to improve the company’s relationships with clients?

Account managers are team players and are often leaders in their departments. You may be asked to train other members of the department or make improvements to certain processes, such as onboarding. The hiring manager will want to know if you have the skills necessary to take initiative and make positive changes in your department.

How to Craft the Best Answer

Highlight a time when you stepped up to lead your team members and make changes to processes. If you found a better way to onboard a client, describe the original process and what you did to optimize it.
If you noticed that customers were having difficulties with the CRM, explain how you solved the problem. Think about things you did that have improved the experiences of your customers and coworkers. Use these as a springboard for feedback.


Describe a time when you sold more to a customer

Part of being a great account manager means understanding your client’s aspirations and your company’s business needs. The hiring manager will want to know if you can identify when a customer might benefit from additional services your company offers and what you’ll do to encourage customers to make additional purchases. Can you recognize a sales opportunity when it’s in front of you?

How to Craft the Best Answer

To answer this question, think about your previous experience with customers. Be sure to discuss how you identified that your customers needed additional services, the steps you took to convince them to purchase an upgrade, and the (successful!) outcome.


You realize that you’re behind your projected revenue for the quarter – what steps do you take to fix it?

What steps do you need to take to fix it? While you, as an account manager, may not handle direct sales like a member of the sales team, it’s still your responsibility to make sure your accounts are profitable and hitting quarterly goals.
A hiring manager may ask you to explain what steps you will take if you notice that you are behind on target revenue for the quarter, in order to determine if you have the skills to be flexible, adaptable, and receptive to new insights.

How to Craft the Best Answer

Answer this question by detailing the steps you take to analyze and evaluate your accounts. Explain how you use data generated from sales reports to determine which account is lagging in sales. Then, explain your plan to catch up before the end of the quarter and the tactics you will take next quarter.


A customer is considering ending business with your company. Describe your customer retention plan and process.

As the direct point of contact for your customers, you’ll likely be the first team member to know if one of them is about to leave your company. That’s why it’s important to have a well-thought-out retention plan. Expect a hiring manager to ask you about your customer retention strategies . Reference any experience you have persuading customers to stay with your business.

How to Craft the Best Answer

Before you answer, consider your previous experience with customers. Be sure to discuss how you communicated with customers who were thinking about leaving. Then, describe the ways you kept them informed and satisfied with your business. Did you offer your customer a personalized discount on services? Was the reason the customer was considering leaving something as simple as a problem solving issue? Think about the things you did to keep customers on your side and discuss them in detail.

How do you build relationships within your team?

As an account manager, the company expects you to work closely with other members of the sales team and other departments. Because of this, account managers need to be team players.

How to Craft the Best Answer

Being a team player is extremely important to your company’s goals. Highlight how you build trust and relationships. List the things that make you a person others want to work with. Mention how you actively listen to other members, make time to meet with your team, follow through on your commitments, help others when they need you, and maintain professionalism in the workplace.


. Describe Your Experience with CRM Software

CRMs, or online systems for managing customer relationships, are becoming increasingly popular in the sales world. As an account manager, you’ll be working with a CRM on a daily basis . Hiring managers want to understand your experience with them, or at least that you’re familiar with this type of software.

How to Craft the Best Answer

Recap your experience with CRM software. You'll want to discuss how you learned to use it and how you maximize its use to run reports, contact customers, collect customer feedback, and automate some of your processes.


How do you prioritize your job tasks?

Explain your process. Account managers wear many hats. These professionals are responsible for customer retention and satisfaction, handling complaints, collaborating with departments, analyzing reports and data, and much more.
Hiring managers know that the account manager role can be demanding, so they'll ask you to explain how you prioritize your tasks. In doing so, they're looking to determine your organizational skills and level of adaptability.


How to Craft the Best Answer

Think about your experience working in demanding roles. How did you prioritize tasks? Each task of the account manager position is important, but some carry more weight than others. Think about which duties will help you achieve your goals and explain why you prioritize them. Be sure to include what you do when you don't get around to completing a task during the workday.


. Are you familiar with our industry and the role you'll be playing?

This may sound like a simple question, but hiring managers need to know that you take the industry and the role you'll be playing as an account manager seriously. You'll be expected to know the industry, how your role fits into the company's overall goals, and how to successfully retain clients and resolve issues.

How to Craft the Best Answer

Use this question as an opportunity to showcase your industry knowledge, relevant skills, and past experience in similar positions. Before you go to the interview, do some research on the company and memorize all the relevant facts and figures about its performance over the past few years. You'll impress the hiring manager with your research and demonstrate your interest in the position.