The Account Representative Genius
A Fortune 500 company that I had been coaching and consulting for asked me to take on a difficult assignment with a limited timeline, “saving” a very good account rep from being fired. The rep knew what she was doing, had experience and her clients liked her. The problem was that most of her colleagues disliked her because she did not always follow accepted protocol in a corporate structure that moved more slowly than the advertising agency culture in which she had previously worked.
Because I understood the difference between an ad agency culture and a Fortune 500 corporate culture, I was able to explain the difference to the account rep so that she understood why she was causing problems for the creative team. There was a choice she would have to make. She would have to accept that things move slowly and tell the clients the truth about not being able to meet every rush deadline, or choose to work someplace else.
The account rep understood the pressure that she was creating and changed on a dime. She liked the job, the location, and the hours. She had complete faith that I had analyzed the situation correctly and had offered the best solution.
People in the department were stopping me in the hallways and telling me that I was a miracle worker and calling me a genius. It’s pretty obvious that the genius here is the account rep that made the change. That was about five years ago and she is still employed by the same company.
What is the ROI here? I don’t know, but what do you think it would cost the company to hire a replacement?