Account Management: Why A One-Size-Fits-All Approach Costs You Revenue
63% of employees want more "in-the-moment" feedback on their performance, but nearly half get it only once or twice a year. The ones who do receive meaningful feedback are 3.6 times more likely to be motivated to do outstanding work compared to those getting annual feedback. [1] For account managers, where adaptability directly impacts revenue, this feedback gap is particularly costly.
When account managers run the same playbook regardless of account size or renewal complexity, it impacts every key metric, from renewal rates and expansion revenue to net revenue retention. Different accounts often need different strategies, and the cost of a one-size-fits-all approach shows up in lost opportunities, decreased customer satisfaction, and ultimately, in your bottom line.
Feedback: The Missing Link To Adaptability In Account Management
The leaders of these account managers have the opportunity—and responsibility—to improve their team's performance. Better feedback is one of the most immediate and impactful ways to help these account managers:
- 80% of employees who received meaningful feedback in the past week are fully engaged. [2]
- Teams with managers who provide regular feedback show 18% higher productivity. Yet only 16% of employees report that their last conversation with a manager was extremely meaningful. [1]
On the one side, it's clear that feedback is crucial to employee engagement and performance. It can help create adaptable account managers. But on the other side, feedback is lacking in the workplace overall. This gap is a contributing factor to account managers who get stuck in their ways, with a one-size-fits-all approach.
Team leaders need to get better at giving frequent, meaningful feedback.
Why Traditional Training Stops Short
Most organizations understand the importance of feedback, but rely too heavily on formal training sessions and workshops to develop feedback skills. Classroom training has its place, sure. But it accounts for just 10% of how people actually learn according to the 70-20-10 model. The majority of learning—70%—happens through on-the-job experience.
Research by behavioral scientists shows that it takes approximately 10 weeks, not just 21 days, to form new habits through consistent practice. One-off training sessions simply can't drive the sustained behavior change needed for better feedback practices. To see real results, organizations need to invest where the learning actually happens: in the daily flow of work.
Activity-Based Learning: Building Better Feedback Habits
An effective solution is integrating bite-sized learning activities into both team leaders' and account managers' daily work. Abstract exercises and theories don't change behavior. People need to practice and apply skills consistently over time.
On-the-job learning activities are key. An activity can take less than one minute of seat time to understand, then ask the learner to practice a specific, targeted behavior within their existing workflow. It brings training into their work, rather than taking them out of work to train.
For example, here are a few activities that could help train for better feedback behaviors:
For Managers Giving Feedback To Direct Reports
- Practicing feedback conversations
Share one piece of specific feedback with a clear example. Ask an open-ended question to explore where they might face an obstacle when implementing feedback. Work together to define one concrete action they can take when facing that situation.
For Account Managers Receiving Feedback
- Practicing active listening
In your next 1:1, practice summarizing the key points of any feedback (or instruction) in your own words. For example, say "Let me repeat that back to make sure I understand you," and then try summarizing.
Personalizing The Learning Journey
The effectiveness of activities like these increases dramatically when they're personalized for each learner. No one wants activities they view as too easy. They need to have some challenge to be valuable, so delivering the right activities is crucial.
Plus, completion rates increase by as much as 76% when activities are tailored to individual needs through AI and Machine Learning. This personalization ensures that both managers and account managers receive activities that match their current skill level and learning style, capturing the interest of learners.
Demonstrating L&D Value Through Outcome Measurement
Traditional training metrics often fall short in demonstrating true business impact, focusing on participation rather than results. Forward-thinking talent leaders are now adopting outcome-based measurement approaches that directly link learning initiatives to key business metrics.
To effectively measure your activity-based feedback training, implement a three-tier approach:
- First, track engagement metrics like activity completion rates and learner feedback.
- Second, document concrete behavior changes through manager observations and self-assessments of feedback quality and frequency. Manager observations of behavior change are a compelling level 3 metric, especially when aligned with self-attested behavior change.
- Finally—and most importantly—monitor the business metrics directly impacted by better account management: renewal rates, cross-selling success, account expansion revenue, and customer satisfaction scores. Calculate the program's ROI by comparing training costs against measurable improvements in account manager performance, directly connecting your L&D investment to revenue impact and business growth.
Implementation Steps: Make It Happen
For talent leaders ready to transform their account management training, starting with a focused pilot program often yields the best results. This allows you to refine the approach based on your organization's specific needs while demonstrating clear ROI. Research [3] shows that 89% of HR leaders agree that continuous peer feedback and check-ins lead to successful outcomes.
- Assess current feedback practices
For example, survey managers and account managers about existing feedback patterns. - Build a library of bite-sized, workflow-integrated activities
Create short, practical exercises that fit naturally into daily work, then deliver them (email works) over a period of 10–12 weeks. - [Optional] Set up AI personalization based on individual needs
If you have access to learning technology that enables personalization, use it to tailor activity delivery based on roles, experience levels, and learning preferences. - Establish ROI measurement frameworks
Define clear metrics for both learning outcomes (completion rates, behavior change) and business impact (renewal rates, customer satisfaction). - Roll out the program with continuous monitoring
Launch, then gather feedback weekly, monitoring both pilot and control groups for emerging trends in defined metrics.
The path to more adaptable account management runs through better feedback practices. But better feedback only happens through consistent, personalized practice in the flow of work. By focusing training investments on activity-based learning where it matters most—in the 70%—organizations can create lasting behavior change that drives measurable business results.
References
[1] How Effective Feedback Fuels Performance
[2] A Great Manager's Most Important Habit
[3] Employee feedback loop: How to build a culture of continuous improvement
