| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Media and Advertising |
| Level | Manager |
| Reports to | Account Director |
| Direct reports | Account Executive, Client Servicing Executive |
| Experience | 5 to 8 years in agency client servicing, with 2 or more years handling accounts independently |
Client Servicing Manager job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Client Servicing Manager
Department: Media and Advertising
Reports to: Account Director
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Client Servicing Manager owns the agency's relationship with a set of client brands. They understand each client's business, take clear briefs, run the account day to day, and make sure creative, media and production teams deliver on time and on budget. The role sits in the account management team of an advertising agency and carries the revenue target for its accounts. A good one keeps clients renewing, grows the business on each account, and keeps internal teams and clients aligned so work moves without friction.
Key responsibilities
- Own a portfolio of client accounts, learn each brand's business and market, and become the client's main point of contact at the agency.
- Take and write clear briefs from clients, and translate business goals into creative, media and production tasks for internal teams.
- Run status meetings, share timelines and cost estimates, and keep clients updated on every job in progress.
- Coordinate creative, media, planning and production teams so work is delivered on time, on brief and within the approved budget.
- Present creative and media plans to clients, gather feedback, and manage rounds of changes without losing the idea.
- Track account revenue against target, raise estimates and purchase orders, and follow up on billing and payments with finance.
- Spot chances to grow the account, and pitch new projects or services to existing clients.
- Handle escalations and unhappy clients calmly, find the fix, and protect the agency relationship.
- Brief and check the work of account executives, and train them on process and client handling.
- Keep account records, contact reports and approvals in order for reviews and audits.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in marketing, mass communication, commerce or management
- An MBA in marketing is an advantage
- A proven record of handling client accounts in an agency or marketing role
- 5 to 8 years in agency client servicing, with 2 or more years handling accounts independently
KRAs and KPIs for a Client Servicing Manager
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Account revenue | Meet the annual revenue target for the assigned accounts, tracked month by month |
| Client retention | Retain assigned clients through the contract term, with renewals signed before expiry |
| On time delivery | Jobs delivered by the committed date for at least 95 percent of briefs |
| Account growth | Grow revenue from existing accounts by a set target through new projects each year |
| Billing health | Estimates raised before work starts and payments collected within the agreed credit period |
| Client satisfaction | Positive client review at each quarterly account review, with no unresolved escalations |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: MS Excel, PowerPoint or Keynote, Email and calendar, Project tracker, Billing software.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Account Director, Group Account Director
Interview questions for a Client Servicing Manager
- Walk me through how you take a brief from a client and turn it into an internal brief for the creative team.
- An important client is unhappy with the creative after two rounds. How do you handle the meeting?
- How do you grow revenue on an account without pushing work the client does not need?
- A job is running late because the creative team is stuck. What do you tell the client?
- How do you keep track of estimates, purchase orders and payments across several accounts?
- Tell me about a client you almost lost and how you saved the relationship.
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What does a client servicing manager do?
A client servicing manager runs an agency's relationship with a group of client brands. They take briefs, coordinate creative, media and production teams, present work, manage budgets and billing, and grow the account. They are the client's main contact and carry the revenue target for their accounts.
What is the difference between client servicing and account management?
In most Indian agencies the two mean the same work: managing client relationships and coordinating delivery. Client servicing is the older term, account management the newer one. Titles rise from executive to manager to director as the person handles bigger accounts and carries more revenue responsibility.
What skills does a client servicing manager need?
A client servicing manager needs clear brief writing, strong communication and presentation, budgeting and negotiation, and the ability to coordinate creative, media and production teams. Behaviourally they need calm problem solving and relationship building, because they sit between demanding clients and busy internal teams every day.