The past decade has seen a shift in the account management role from that of an inside sales associate to a true strategic partner. Monikers such a Virtual CIO (vCIO) and Technical Account Manager (TAM) have aimed to articulate the distinction. Instead of being in the role of waiting for the client to make a request for a product or service, the role has become proactive where Quarterly Business Reviews (QBR) are conducted to ensure that strategic goals of the client are met as well as the relationship bolstered. Ideally this also helps the MSP retain the customer and sell more services to the client.

 Traditionally, most of these meetings were held face-to-face and perhaps over lunch. Covid-19 changed all of that. In the beginning of the pandemic, many businesses were in rapid transition from in-office to remote working. The strategic discussions were very short term and simply focused on "keeping the lights on" and making sure that the technology could support the new remote workforce and maintain at least some level of productivity. As the world settled into the new normal, our clients have become more comfortable with the concept of transacting business over video calls. As I have discussed in previous blogs, we are now moving to a much more hybrid workforce. Many of us will be working remote, at least a part of the time, perhaps for the remainder of our careers.

 However, as restrictions are eased in most states and offices and restaurants open up we cannot ignore the importance of human contact in our relationships. I am reminded of a TV commercial for one of the airlines 1990 in which a manager discusses the fact that the company lost their oldest customer because "they didn't know them anymore". His team was relying too much on doing business by telephone and fax (this was even pre-email). He then proceeds to hand out airline tickets to his account management team to go out and conduct face-to-face meetings with each one of their clients.

 Although the advent of video technology has improved the ability to convey a more personal touch to our remote meetings, it is still not a great substitute for the face-to-face experience. Many of us are suffering video fatigue. Our clients will truly want to meet in-person as the restrictions are lifted.

 However, in this transitional period, the etiquette of meeting in person is in uncharted waters. Each individual has thoughts and feelings about their own personal safety in any given situation. Those fully vaccinated can now resume life completely (barring any mask restrictions in certain areas), while those not fully vaccinated must continue to exercise the use of masks and social distancing in many scenarios. Trouble is, we don’t know who is and isn’t vaccinated. Many companies will continue to have their own policies on employee-client interaction regardless of CDC or state guidelines.

 The key is to be in clear communication with your clients as to their policies. Likewise, form your own policies with your employees as to what you are comfortable with. Encourage those employees that have not yet been vaccinated to do so (barring any underlying medical circumstances that prevent it).

 Why is this important? Because competitors that are willing to get in front of clients face-to-face (within proper health guidelines) may have an advantage in developing a new relationship with your client. Even at the height of the pandemic I was aware of cases where clients were willing to have engineers and account managers transact business face to face, and the provider's policy would allow for it. However, because the provider simply assumed the client would not want people on site, no in-person meetings or engineer engagements took place. In the meantime, competitors asked the right questions and gained face-to-face meetings. In the end, the competitors won the business.

 I would encourage your account managers to schedule face-to-face meetings within the health guidelines of both organizations as soon as possible. If we appear too complacent with the current mode of video conference meetings, our clients may begin to feel like we don't know them anymore.