By Mindy Williams

The second worse thing you can tell a client is:
“I’ll have to get back to you on that.” (The absolute worst thing you can say is, of course: “We seem to have, um, misplaced that information.”) No matter how tactfully you put it, your client knows you lost that vital info—and you know they know.

     It’s a sticky situation, and account executive face them everyday. Whether they’re on the road or in the office, AEs need a good system to track everyday details to stay on top of jobs while keeping the big picture in focus. Clients & Profits can help.

     With Clients & Profits, office-bound AEs have all the information they need is just a few mouse clicks away. And if they’re on the road, all they need is a web browser and My Clients & Profits! to access the database. When AEs have access to the information they need, they’ll be able to better manage client relationships and profitability goals.

     Clients & Profits’ tools for better account management begin with the client account, which maintains all of the key client-related information like contact names, phone and fax numbers, email addresses, web site address, client-based projects, billing rates—and especially budget amounts. “Our AEs are proactive with client budgets,” says Craig Barnes, owner of The MBC Group, “and many times they help the clients set them up.” AEs at MBC have monthly AGI goals, and they use Clients & Profits to actively track and forecast their progress.

Adding jobs on the road

     Since they know more about new jobs than anyone else, AEs at MBC add their own jobs, whether they are on the road with My C&P! or in the office. Estimates, change orders, creative briefs, automatic email, and job reports help AEs stay on top of their clients’ work. “The strength of Clients & Profits,” says Craig, “is that all of that information is always at their fingertips.”

     Estimates, which can be revised any number of times, can be approved online. And once they’re approved, Clients & Profits can automatically send an email to production managers letting them know that the job is a go. Change orders, which can also trigger an automatic email, include a checkbox to track client approval. And getting a client’s signature on the final estimate and any change orders (even if there’s no dollar amount to charge) could save a lot of grief when it comes time to bill the job.

Staying focused on client goals

     The creative brief, also part of the job ticket, will get everyone on the same page. Using the creative brief fields, AEs can define the job as a strategic process, present it for client approval, then refer to it as the job unfolds. Greg Eckel, president of Design Crew Marketing Solutions, uses the creative brief to keep everyone—clients, vendors, and staff—focused on the clients’ goals. “Clients & Profits is our process,” he says, “and using it builds a level of trust with our clients.”

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