CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGER: What It Is & What They Do

A client relationship manager is a vital part of a business as a business needs to build and maintain a good relationship with its clients for the company’s success. They act as a bridge between a company and its clients, ensuring their needs are met and expectations are exceeded. Let’s discuss who a client relationship manager is, what they do, and what their job description entails

Client Relationship Manager

A client relationship manager is responsible for building and maintaining customer relationships. They ensure customer needs are met and satisfaction with the company’s products or services is maintained. Also, they act as a point of contact, addressing concerns and ensuring contract terms are followed. They further find new sales prospects and provide guidance to coworkers on client strategy and sales opportunities.

What Does A Client Relationship Manager Do?

The job description of a client relationship manager involves building and maintaining long-term relationships with clients and making sure they are satisfied with the products or services of the company. They act as a go-between, fixing problems and meeting client needs to ensure everyone has a good time.

Client Relationship Manager Job Description

The job description of a client relationship manager does not require a specific type of education or degree. However, it will be beneficial to complete a bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, management, or a related field. Some employers may prefer candidates with a master’s degree, especially for more advanced positions in relationship management. Nevertheless, the specific degree to pursue will vary depending on the industry you are pursuing. For example, an accounting degree will be beneficial for a relationship manager in commercial banking.

Client Relationship Manager Duties

The duties of a client relationship manager include the following:

Ensuring existing clients are satisfied through after-sales care and gaining feedback
Identifying and approaching potential new clients
Researching industry trends and providing advice to colleagues about client strategy or new sales opportunities
Acting as a point of contact for complaints and escalating issues as appropriate
Understanding and helping to meet the targets and aims of the client
Schedule regular meetings with clients to ensure their satisfaction.
Act as the point of contact for complaints and escalate issues as appropriate.
Ensure that both the company and clients adhere to contract terms.
Set sales and revenue targets and work diligently to meet them.
Collaborate with internal teams (e.g., sales, engineers, senior management) to address customers’ needs.
Client Relationship Managers use KPIs to measure customer satisfaction, evaluate strategies, and make data-driven decisions.

Client Relationship Manager Skills

The skills of a client relationship manager include the following:

Excellent communication skills: Client relationship managers must communicate effectively with clients and colleagues from all levels of an organization. This includes both verbal and written communication. They should be able to articulate ideas clearly, actively listen to clients’ needs, and provide solutions and support.
Relationship building: Building and nurturing long-term relationships with clients is a key skill for client relationship managers. They should be able to establish trust, understand clients’ needs, and provide personalized support and guidance. Thus, they should be attentive, empathetic, and proactive.
Problem-solving and conflict resolution: Client relationship managers need to be skilled at identifying and resolving issues that arise with clients. This includes handling complaints, addressing concerns, and finding solutions that satisfy both the client and the company.
Industry knowledge and trend analysis: Client relationship managers should stay informed about industry trends and developments. Thus, allowing them to provide valuable insights and advice to clients and colleagues.
Sales and business acumen: Client relationship managers should have a level of creativity when it comes to thinking of new sales opportunities. They need to understand the products and services offered by the company and be able to align them with the needs and goals of clients.
Proficiency in technology: Client relationship managers should be proficient in using technology tools such as MS Office and CRM platforms. These tools help them track and manage client interactions, analyze data, and improve their work efficiency.

What is Client Relationship Manager Software?

Client relationship manager software is a tool that helps businesses organize and access customer data. It connects departments like marketing, sales, and customer service, organizing notes, activities, and metrics into a cohesive system. A client relationship manager software offers personalized customer journeys and coordinates across teams and departments. It can be cloud-based, automating processes like calendar events, prioritizing sales, and identifying new opportunities. CRM software can integrate with other business platforms, offering features like contact management, sales automation, sales reports, forecasting, and customization. It consolidates customer data, communications, documents, quotes, purchases, and tasks for better organization and access.

Functions of a CRM Software

A client relationship manager uses the client relationship management software for the following functions:

#1 Contact Management

Contact management is one of the most important functions of CRM software. It allows businesses to gather and organize customer information in a central repository. Hence, enables businesses to segment contacts into groups, personalize communication, and better cater to the needs of individual customers.

#2. Marketing Automation

CRM software includes marketing automation features that help businesses segment and nurture leads, launch marketing campaigns, track campaign optimization, and support social media marketing. Marketing automation reduces costs and improves the efficiency of marketing initiatives by automating repetitive tasks, such as lead scoring and email campaigns. It also provides reporting and analytics to track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and optimize strategies.

#3. Workflow and Approvals

CRM software can optimize workflows by automating processes like data collection, data analysis, marketing campaigns, and other tasks that were previously done manually. Overall, this improves efficiency and productivity by streamlining business processes and providing reporting and analytics to identify areas for improvement.

#4. CRM Data/File Storage

CRM software provides a proprietary method of data storage, allowing users to efficiently store and manage all sales-related files, such as proposals and quotes. Thus, ensuring that important data is easily accessible and protected through safeguards and backup systems, preventing data loss and security breaches.

#5. Customer Service Automation

A client relationship manager uses CRM software to help businesses manage customer service as it provides automation tools for case management and customer support. Users can track, close, and reopen customer cases, personalize client communications, and create a consolidated knowledge base of support information for quick access. With this function, businesses can improve customer satisfaction levels as well as manage customer interactions efficiently.

Benefits of Using a CRM Software

The benefits of using CRM software as a client relationship manager include:

CRM software improves efficiency by automating tasks like email nurturing, lead scoring, and customer inquiries, enabling marketing teams to focus on campaigns, sales, and customer service.
CRM software centralizes customer data, enabling collaboration and exceptional customer experiences across departments, enabling efficient collaboration and access for all customer-facing teams.
CRM software enhances customer relationships by centralizing communication, optimizing data, and offering personalized outreach, resulting in stronger customer loyalty.
CRM software enhances productivity by centralized communication, prioritizing leads, tracking interactions, and scheduling tasks, enabling sales teams to close more deals and convert more leads into paying customers.
CRM software enhances customer retention by promoting appointments, follow-up emails, B2B marketing, targeted email campaigns, and post-purchase surveys, fostering interest and loyalty.

What to Consider When Choosing CRM Software

As a manager, before choosing a client relationship management software, it is crucial to understand its benefits and understand its concepts, methodologies, and best practices.

A client relationship management software helps the manager to manage customer data, track interactions, and improve relationships. Hence, you should familiarize yourself with its concepts, methodologies, and best practices to be able to make data-driven decisions.

To choose the right CRM solution for your business’s particular needs, you should know your business requirements, identify inefficient processes, and consider the number of users and software applications needed.

Another thing you should consider is the ability of the system to seamlessly integrate with existing applications, such as accounting software, HR software, website forms, billing and e-commerce platforms, and marketing solutions. Also, you should pay attention to user experience, that is by evaluating the user interface and its ease of use as well as factors like intuitiveness, efficiency, and clarity. Look for a simple and user-friendly interface that aligns with your team’s needs and preferences.

Lastly, evaluate the deployment options offered by CRM vendors, whether cloud-based or on-premises, customize the system to meet your specific requirements, assess the cost of the CRM solution, consider scalability, and evaluate the overall business value.

Examples of a CRM Software

A client relationship manager (CRM) uses various software tools to manage and maintain relationships with customers. Some of the commonly used software in CRM include: Here are some examples of CRM software:

#1. Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics is a popular CRM software that offers a 360-degree view of customers. It provides real-time customer insights based on behavioral, demographic, and transactional data. Thus, allowing businesses to personalize sales, marketing campaigns, and support efforts.

#2. Salesforce

Salesforce is one of the leading CRM software providers. It offers various features and integrations to manage customer relationships, sales, and marketing activities. Salesforce provides a comprehensive platform for tracking customer interactions, managing leads, and automating workflows.

#3. HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM is a free CRM software that offers a user-friendly interface and integrates with other HubSpot tools. It allows businesses to track customer interactions, manage leads, and automate sales and marketing processes. HubSpot CRM also provides reporting and analytics features to measure the effectiveness of campaigns.

#4. Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is a cloud-based CRM software that offers a variety of features for managing customer relationships. It provides tools for lead management, contact management, sales forecasting, and campaign management. Zoho CRM also integrates with other Zoho applications for a seamless workflow.

#5. Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a CRM software designed specifically for sales teams. It offers a visual pipeline view to track deals and manage sales activities. Pipedrive provides features for lead management, email integration, and sales reporting. It also offers mobile apps for on-the-go access.

#6. Insightly

Insightly is a CRM software combining customer relationship management and project management capabilities. It allows businesses to track customer interactions, manage leads and opportunities, and collaborate on projects. Insightly also integrates with popular business tools like G Suite and Outlook.

#7. Agile CRM

Agile CRM is an all-in-one CRM software that offers sales, marketing, and customer service features. It provides tools for lead management, email marketing, social media integration, and helpdesk support. Agile CRM also offers automation capabilities to streamline workflows.

#8. SugarCRM

SugarCRM is an open-source CRM software that offers flexibility and customization options. It provides lead management, contact management, sales forecasting, and customer support features. SugarCRM can be hosted on-premises or in the cloud.

What Is the Difference Between a Client Relationship Manager and a Customer Relationship Manager?

A client relationship manager focuses on building trust and value with clients, establishing strong barriers to competition. Generally, they work with senior executives, sales managers, and decision-makers to address problems and overcome obstacles. Further monitoring industry trends, identifying sales opportunities, and organizing services for better use. They may also set up online ordering and payment systems. On the other hand, a customer relationship manager is responsible for developing relationships, providing guidance, and ensuring customer needs are met.

Both roles can overlap in some industries, and specific responsibilities may vary depending on the company. It’s essential to refer to job descriptions and requirements for specific roles to understand their expectations and responsibilities.

Is Client Relations the Same as Customer Service?

Client relations and customer service are related concepts, but they are not exactly the same. Customer service refers to the methods, strategies, and processes a company uses to build and maintain customer relationships. It encompasses all customer interactions and experiences. It is a proactive approach that focuses on engaging customers and improving the overall customer experience. On the other hand, client relations are present in all aspects of a business, including customer service, marketing, sales, and product development.