7 Sample Account Manager Interview Questions and Answers

American author and business consultant Ken Blanchard once said, “Just having satisfied customers isn’t good enough anymore.” As an account manager, you understand the importance of building and fostering relationships with customers and going above and beyond to keep your clients happy. But a job interview gives you the opportunity to prove it. Monster’s sample account manager interview questions and answers can help you convey your ability to connect with customers in a way your resume can’t.

If you’re looking for job security as an account manager, we’ve got great news. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 10% increase in new account manager jobs and similar positions over the next 10 years.

Want to join the ranks of this in-demand profession? Read on to learn how to create compelling answers to commonly asked account manager interview questions.

7 Account Manager Interview Questions and Answers

1. What Makes You a Good Account Manager?
2. How Would You Deal With a Difficult Customer?
3. What Strategies Do You Use to Win Over New Clients?
4. Which CRM Software Programs Are You Most Proficient In?
5. Describe a Time You Made an Error. What Did You Do to Fix It?
6. What Would You Do to Meet Your Sales Targets?
7. Provide an Example of How You Would Convince a Client to Renew a Contract.

Question #1: What Makes You a Good Account Manager?

Employers look for candidates who are dedicated to bringing in and retaining clients and exceeding quotas. Expect to answer basic account manager interview questions that gauge your competency and passion for the job.

Here’s what you should include in your answer:

• Your experience working with customers.
• Why you decided to become an account manager.
• The characteristics that make a good account manager.

How You Could Answer

“I’ve been an excellent communicator for as long as I can remember, which served me well when I worked previous customer service jobs. Past employers have always praised me for my empathy, ability to listen, and persistence when solving problems. I believe that these are the key characteristics of a good account manager.”

Question #2: How Would You Deal With a Difficult Customer?

Employers often ask account manager interview questions that evaluate your ability to remain calm and solve problems. To be considered for an account manager job, you’ll need to demonstrate your ability to listen, communicate, and take the appropriate action to nurture a customer relationship.

You could best answer this type of behavioral interview question by discussing the following:

• Best practices for solving customer problems.
• An example of when you helped resolve a customer problem.

How You Could Answer

“From my experience, the best way to resolve a problem with a customer or client is to remain calm and listen to their concerns. By listening, I’m able to identify the client’s needs and how we can meet their expectations.

I worked as an account manager for four years at a marketing firm and encountered many difficulties with clients. When they weren’t entirely happy with our services, I never gave up on them. Instead, I scheduled a time to speak with them and get an idea of where we can tailor our services to meet the their needs.

In one incident, I spoke with a customer who wasn’t happy with the tone and style our writing team used to build their website content. The customer was considering a different marketing agency because they didn’t feel that the content aligned with their brand. However, I was able to communicate the customer’s concerns with the writing department and tweak their site’s content at no extra cost.”

Question #3: What Strategies Do You Use to Win Over New Clients?

Employers look for strategic account managers who think outside the box and have a competitive spirit. To be considered for top account manager positions, you’ll need to demonstrate how you would bring in new business.

Create your answer by discussing the following details:

• Strategies you would use to deal with the competition.
• What you would communicate to a potential client.
• How you would develop a plan tailored to the client.

How You Could Answer

“Winning over new clients is a competitive process. I have often spoken to potential clients who were shopping around for a marketing agency that best meets their needs and budget. Before speaking with a potential client, I would research the marketing agency they’re currently using.

If our marketing agency offers better services and prices, I would focus on communicating that to the potential client. I would also ask them what they do and don’t like about their current services and explain how we can best meet their expectations.

I would then offer the potential client a free consultation. Before the consultation, I would hold a meeting with the marketing director and tech department to determine where the client’s website, social media accounts, and Google My Business could use some fine-tuning or whether they would need to be rebuilt from scratch. Lastly, I would offer a marketing plan tailored to the client and devise a suitable budget and payment plan.”

Question #4: Which CRM Software Programs Are You Proficient In?

Customer relationship management (CRM) software is an essential part of an account management job. Some account manager interview questions will gauge your ability to use CRM programs such as Salesforce, HubSpot CRM, Freshsales CRM, and NetSuite CRM.

Describe the following details in your answer:

• Which CRM programs you’re most comfortable with.
• CRM software you’ve used the most on the job.
• How you best utilize CRM software.

How You Could Answer

“When I worked for the marketing agency, I used Salesforce to keep track of client calls, manage contacts, monitor client performance, organize my calendar, and create reports. I found Salesforce to be particularly convenient for logging calls since I spent a great deal of time on the phone with clients. I also used the Salesforce app, which automatically logged calls to save me the time of entering them in manually.

I’m also familiar with Freshsales CRM, which is especially useful for communication due to its built-in VoIP phone service, chat, and email capabilities. I also find Freshsales CRM useful for website tracking, creating efficient workflows, and analytics.”

Question #5: Describe a Time You Made an Error. What Did You Do to Fix It?

No matter how much experience you have as an account manager, mistakes do happen. When employers ask account manager interview questions about your weaknesses or mistakes, they want to know how you recover from your missteps and what you’ll do to make clients happy.

Try using the STAR method to answer this question. Your response should include:

• The situation that made the client unhappy.
• Which task you were required to achieve when the error occurred.
• The course of action you took to correct the error.
• The result of your action.

How You Could Answer

“When I worked for the marketing agency, I made one error that resulted in a client complaint. The client had requested a batch of social media posts to be scheduled out over the course of a month. I misheard the client’s request for three posts per week. I communicated to the content department to create only one social media post per week.

After the first week, I received a call from the client, who complained that they didn’t receive the three social media posts as requested. I immediately apologized to the client and explained that there was a miscommunication. I also promised that the social media posts would be created promptly. Lastly, I offered an additional week of social media posts at no extra cost.

The information was immediately relayed to the content department and the client thanked me for promptly correcting the mistake.”

Question #6: What Would You Do to Meet Your Sales Targets?

When hiring account managers, employers want someone who can meet and exceed quotas. Show them that you’re the right candidate for the job by providing the following information:

• Sales strategies you use.
• What you would do if your sales performance was lagging.
• Your most notable sales achievements.

How You Could Answer

“First and foremost, I focus on converting leads—most of which come from online and phone inquiries—into loyal clients. I generally aim to bring in at least four new clients from leads alone. Sometimes, I reach potential customers through email campaigns and cold calling, when I’m not getting enough sales from leads. I also focus on upselling existing clients and providing additional services.”

When I worked for the marketing agency, I brought in 11 new clients and generated nearly $50,000 from contracts within one month. On average, I bring in about 8 new clients per month.”

Question #7: Provide an Example of How You Would Convince a Client to Renew a Contract.

So, you got a client onboard. But the client is considering other vendors as the contract end date approaches. Employers often ask account manager interview questions regarding contracts to determine if you’re able to negotiate renewals.

Answer this question by doing the following:

• Walk employers through the contract renewal process.
• Provide common reasons why clients might want to end their contracts.
• Discuss the strategies you use to keep clients.

How You Could Answer

“Most of our clients auto-renew their contracts each year. However, some clients choose to end their contracts if they’re not happy with our services or if they’ve found another vendor they feel better suits their needs and budget. Sometimes, other vendors reach out to our existing clients to offer them deals on their services.

I always touch base with clients within 60 days of their contract expiration date to get an idea of how satisfied they are with our services. I also ask if there was anything we could do better. If a client is considering moving to a different vendor, I will offer them a contract renewal at a discounted rate.”

Create a New Account at Monster for a Successful Job Search

Now that you’ve studied the account manager interview questions you might be asked, it’s time to put your negotiation skills to the test. Create an account at Monster and upload your resume to build relationships with job recruiters looking for account managers. We’ll go above and beyond to help your job search succeed. That includes notifying you when new account manager jobs open in your area and sending you targeted career advice articles to help you write your job application, search for jobs, and more.