Week one as Head of Client Services at an inbound marketing agency

It’s day five at Six & Flow, and so far I have experienced two video conferences, a face-to-face meeting in ‘the big smoke’, not to mention the introductions to software which, quite frankly, is blowing my mind.

In at the deep end? Absolutely. Not even a week into my role, and I have gained so much insight.

I’m Rebecca and I have joined the inbound marketing agency as the new ‘Head of Client Services’.

Unlike a lot of digital services, account management is a bit of an anomaly. It’s not necessarily tangible: I don’t write the content or manage social, I can’t build websites and I certainly wouldn’t put me in charge of PPC! However, I like to think of client services and account management as being ‘omnipresent’ in agency life.

(That sounded really pretentious didn’t it? Sorry)

What is my role within an inbound marketing agency?

Essentially, my job is to get ‘under the skin’ of clients, getting to know them as people and not just businesses. I am an extension to them and their biggest advocate within the agency. My job is to ensure the work gets done and to a standard exceeding expectation. Consider me the eyes and ears between the client and Six & Flow.

A bit about me: customer service, account management, client services – whichever way you dress it up, relationships have been at the heart of my career. I am a ‘people pleaser’ by nature, and one of my strengths is delving deeper and familiarising myself with not just business, but people at the heart of business.

It isn’t just “client pays money > company delivers work.”

If it was, I personally would not gravitate to the inbound marketing agency life, as it’s the variety that I thrive in and it’s the variety at the heart of this sector.  

It’s a challenge to have the ‘saying’ and the ‘doing’ within one role. Opinions change, industries evolve and that’s where me, with the support of the team, come in.

I am a chatterbox, “nosey parker”, agony aunt, and at times, the ‘class clown’, but whilst seemingly sounding unprofessional, these characteristics actually play to the strengths of strong relationship management.

Why did I choose to come to Six & Flow?

It’s no secret that the Manchester digital scene is a competitive one, but it’s also one where word travels fast. Six & Flow has been invading my ‘social space’ for some time and out of sheer curiosity, I met with Rich Wood for a coffee.

Straight away, his energy and enthusiasm for inbound marketing was infectious. It was refreshing to hear someone talk so passionately about his business and ambitions for growth, but with the team at the heart of success. It was clear immediately that it’s the people that make this agency what it is.

After this initial coffee and a rigorous ‘compatibility interview process', it resulted in me being presented with an opportunity which would play to my strengths and enhance an already strong digital offering.  

Five days in and I’m already feeling part of the furniture. I’m learning new acronyms, new software and a new way of thinking and doing.

I can see how this inbound marketing agency is paving the way and carving a niche in this competitive market, and I feel very much part of that - not bad for a first week eh?