Kristin R., an Account Relationship Manager at CobbleStone Software, has been a member of the CobbleStone® family since November 2019. Recently, we interviewed Kristin about her experience at CobbleStone and she kindly shared some insights into her role as well as advice she has for those considering a career in SaaS software account management.
In your own words, tell us a little bit about your role as an Account Relationship Manager here at CobbleStone Software
Kristin: My role here is very customer focused, and I primarily work with CobbleStone Software’s existing client base. I regularly work with clients to explore areas of CobbleStone they may not be using already, and guide them on how to efficiently use and cater the system to their specific needs. I work closely with clients to ensure their experience with CobbleStone is positive and helps them with their day-to-day objectives.
What value do you provide clients as a CLM Software Account Relationship Manager?
Kristin: An account relationship manager is a very important piece of the puzzle for a successful relationship between each client and CobbleStone. We are able to act as the voice of the client within the company, and it’s our goal to ensure our clients have a great experience with our products. We are there to provide things like refresher demonstrations for new users, answer questions about functionality within our products, help to facilitate new features and functionality for the client. On a daily basis I work with clients to ensure they understand not only the latest and greatest in what CobbleStone has to offer, but also that they understand what functionality is currently available to them that they may not even be aware of, so they can utilize our products to their fullest potential.
How do you tackle challenges from an Account Relationship Manager perspective?
Kristin: Challenges may occur and it’s important to deal with them in an orderly manner and to provide a sense of security to the clients. Once, a client had spent a lot of time building contracts and needed assistance with managing them so we reviewed our options and decided to switch from CobbleStone Contract Insight Express Edition to CobbleStone Contract Insight Enterprise Edition. This switch quickly resulted in the client enjoying the features they needed for their evolving processes.
Ensuring that the clients’ needs are met while also juggling other tasks can be achieved by maintaining a clear channel of communication to ensure success.
How do you stay up to date with CLM industry trends and technological advancements in contract management?
Kristin: To stay up to date with industry trends, I attend relevant conferences and events as well as subscribe to newsletters from organizations such as The National Contract Management Association, World Commerce & Contracting, Contract Nerds, and others. I am also lucky to work for an innovative CLM leader in CobbleStone that provides numerous helpful pieces of thought leadership - such as blog posts, videos. whitepapers, eBooks, and much more.
What is your favorite part about being an Account Relationship Manager?
Kristin: I love working with clients and I pride myself on going above and beyond to ensure that the clients’ needs are met. Building trust and relationships is an essential foundation to fully supporting clients. To assist with those I value strong communication, especially with new clients. I genuinely aspire to provide great customer service and to give a positive experience about CobbleStone.
What advice would you give to clients on leveraging their Account Relationship Manager long term?
Kristin: My main advice would be to continue to learn and develop knowledge of the product; one should also maintain healthy relationships with their account manager and have great communication skills. The key to building a long-lasting relationship between client and company is communication. A best practice is to schedule regular check-in calls to discuss what is working well as well as any feedback. Present information on the entire team's/user base's needs so that you can receive holistic advice on how your entire userbase can prosper with the product. Never be afraid to carve your own path- trust yourself and your CobbleStone team with your path to success.
Now that you've learned more about the account relationship management at CobbleStone, want to learn more about CobbleStone Contract Insight? Book a free demo of our award-winning contract management, eSourcing, & procurement platform today!
If you're a CobbleStone user, do you have any questions or would you like more information about new features and add on modules? Contact your account representative today!
Interested in career opportunities at CobbleStone? Click here.
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