Jason M. Lemkin argues that every materially sizable customer should know their named account manager (e.g., Jason, Leslie, Larry, Lana). He explains that account management scale affects how reps work (tiny books vs. larger ones) but that personal relationships—knowing “your person”—are powerful drivers of customer retention and happiness.
Maybe in the early days, half a million to a million, it's okay to keep that revenue. And if the accounts are tiny, well, then they might handle 100 accounts, 20 accounts, 200 accounts, 300. And the way they work with those customers will be very different based on the number they have. But every customer that is even remotely sizable should know who their account manager is. That Jason or Leslie or Larry or Lana is their rep. Think about that. How many apps that you use? Do you know who your account rep is? Think about how much more magical your relationships are with any vendor, with the bank, with anything. The handful of folks who you know, who your person is, who your guy or gal is. That is magic for retention and customer happiness.
