What Account Managers Actually Do

An account manager’s main job is to manage client communication. Sounds simple, but there’s a lot packed into that. You need to build rapport, gain trust, and really understand a client’s needs and pain points. A good account manager uses a mix of expertise to solve the client’s problem in the best possible way. “Best” means something that helps the client and benefits the business — both matter equally.

The biggest challenge and the biggest love of this job are the clients. Loyal and demanding, trusting and controlling — all different, yet surprisingly similar once you learn how to work with them. I treat my clients like friends who come for advice. Sure, I follow professional ethics — but my main goal is to be helpful. Sometimes that means stepping a little outside the formal boundaries. Because in the end, on the other side of the call is a person just like you.

Why Companies Need Account Managers

In small or early-stage companies, anyone can handle client relations — often it’s the founder or CEO. But as the business grows, the CEO’s time becomes too valuable to manage all communication personally.

That’s where account management comes in. Good communication builds strong client relationships. Strong relationships bring repeat business — and word-of-mouth referrals.

I’ve worked both in startups and big agencies, and I can say this for sure: the sooner you bring an account manager into the team, the better. It lets the CEO focus on growth and strategy instead of drowning in operations.

How to Become an Account Manager and What’s Next

Here’s my story. I didn’t plan to become an account manager — I just followed what I was good at. Since childhood, I’ve been great at communication and turning chaos into order. Once I realized those were my strengths, I started developing them — reading books on psychology, business, marketing, and negotiation.

My personal must-reads:

• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
• Marketing Without a Budget: 50 Practical Tools by Igor Mann
• The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason
• Screw It, Let’s Do It by Richard Branson

My logic is simple: if something interests me, I dive in completely.

Eventually, I started out in sales, realized I lacked some negotiation and communication skills and began improving them. Later I launched my own projects, learned from trial and error, figured out what I liked and what I didn’t.

For beginners or anyone thinking about becoming an account manager, my advice is the same: keep experimenting. It’s better to figure out early that it’s not for you than to stay stuck in theory forever.

Account management is a diverse job. I’m lucky that mine isn’t limited to client calls and documentation. A strong account manager benefits from having project management skills too. If you have the competence and time, you can combine both — leading the project operationally and managing communication.

For me, this dual role means deeper involvement in the process, a better understanding of design and development, and stronger confidence in the final result. It also helps me offer more tailored solutions, boosting both my credibility and the client’s trust.

And as for career growth — the path is open. You can grow into a department lead, a director of client services, or build new business directions. Every dedicated account manager has that potential.

The Challenges of Account Management

Or, more precisely — the challenges you need to solve.

1. The “We Don’t Know What We Want, But Let’s Do It Our Way” Client

This approach rarely ends well. When a client dictates how to do the work, the final result almost never meets expectations. I do understand when a client wants to be deeply involved — it’s their project and their budget. But when involvement turns into micromanagement, that’s where trouble starts.

Here’s how to handle it as an account manager:

• Explain the difference in expertise, you can follow the client’s instructions word for word, but they probably won’t be happy with the outcome.
• Identify what the client actually wants to achieve and offer the best solution to get there.
• Support your proposal with professional arguments.
• Discuss all ideas together and highlight the one that fits the project best.

2. Managing Chaotic Multitasking

An account manager often handles multiple projects at once — each with its own documents, timelines, and people involved. In the middle of that chaos, structure is your best friend. Strong time management and process organization are key.

Can you work without them? Technically, yes. But only until the first serious mistake — the kind that costs the business money. So, learn the basics of project management before things get hectic.

Before starting any new project, I always:

• Clearly define timelines and build a roadmap. It helps detect bottlenecks early and optimize parallel workflows.
• Make sure both I and the team understand the client’s needs — no time wasted on “creative dead ends.”
• Align with the client on the workflow: how often we meet, how we log feedback, and how to make sure nothing gets lost.

3. Be Flexible — but Don’t Bend

Flexibility is part of the job. That’s how you build trust and long-term partnerships.

But even flexibility has limits. Clients are people too — not all of them will be easy-going or reasonable. Some will push to lower budgets, others will demand ten rounds of revisions instead of three. Some will move deadlines, then expect the final project in two days. A good account manager knows where to draw the line — when to compromise and when to protect the company’s interests.

How Account Management Works at Mish

At Mish, the onboarding process is well-structured. You’re not thrown into the deep end on day one. First, you learn how the company works, meet the teams and department leads. Gradually, you’re given more responsibility. You won’t start by managing a top-tier banking client right away. You’ll begin with smaller projects — which is great for learning, understanding team roles, and finding your rhythm.

Once you’ve made a few mistakes (and learned from them), you can take on larger projects or move to higher responsibility. After a couple of months, I was managing Mish’s corporate website — an internal project, but just as important as client ones.

My favorite thing about Mish is the support from colleagues and leads. Even after ten years in the field, no one knows everything. That’s why it’s so valuable to have people who’ve faced similar challenges and can help you handle new ones. That’s the beauty of working in a big company — shared expertise and experience.

Different companies need different types of account managers. But one thing’s universal — every good business needs them. At Mish, we know that. And I know that I’m not just working — I’m doing what I love.