Outsourcing your calls is more than a business decision. It’s a trust fall. You’re basically handing over the keys to your customer experience, and that’s a big deal, considering 69% of B2B customers are ready to take their business elsewhere if their experience doesn’t match their expectations.
A major concern? Whether the quality will live up to your standards.
It’s natural to worry: “Will a call center handle my calls the way I would?” This isn’t just about whether the quality will live up to your customers’ standards, it’s about your experience too, since you’re the call center’s client.
That’s why account managers play such a vital role in your relationship with a third-party provider. In this blog we’ll break down what an account manager is, why you should care if you’re working with an answering service, and their role in quality assurance.
What Is an Account Manager, and Why Should You Care?
An account manager is your primary point of contact at a call centre or answering service. You’re typically introduced to them at some point during the onboarding process. Their role is to understand your business, your goals, and how you define great customer service—then make sure the service team delivers exactly that.
Think of them as your internal advocate. They communicate your expectations to the team, monitor how your calls are handled, and step in quickly if something needs to be adjusted. They also offer valuable guidance based on their experience working across industries, helping you refine processes, adjust call flows, or plan for seasonal changes you might not have anticipated.
Without an account manager, you’re often left chasing updates or repeating your needs to someone new each time. With one, you’re supported by someone who knows your account inside and out and makes sure the service quality reflects your standards.
Account Manager vs. Dedicated Account Manager: What’s the Difference?
Not all account managers offer the same level of support. In many services, you might be passed between multiple account managers depending on availability, which can lead to gaps in communication and a lack of consistency.
A dedicated account manager gives you one dedicated, familiar point of contact who knows your business, inside and out. Instead of repeating yourself or starting from scratch, you’re working with someone who’s fully invested in your success and accountable for your service experience.
This focused support leads to quicker resolutions, better alignment, and greater confidence that your callers are being taken care of, just the way you expect.
How Account Managers Maintain Quality Assurance
They Keep Your Standards Front and Center
Your business has its own way of doing things – how you greet callers, how information is handled, and how customers should feel by the end of the conversation. A dedicated account manager makes sure those expectations are clearly communicated and consistently followed.
They work closely with the quality assurance team to align training, call scripts, and performance metrics with your standards. This hands-on approach means your callers always receive the kind of service you’d be proud to deliver yourself.
They Monitor and Improve Performance
Call quality isn’t something you should have to chase. Your account manager actively reviews call performance, checks in with QA scores, and tracks trends that could impact customer satisfaction.
Instead of you having to sift through reports or escalate concerns, they identify issues early and recommend improvements. For example, if the sequence of scripted questions is causing confusion for first-time callers, your account manager can flag it and work with the team to adjust the flow. This helps prevent small mistakes from turning into service failures and gives you peace of mind that someone is always watching the details.
They Handle the Details, So You Don’t Have To
When you’re juggling your own day-to-day operations, the last thing you need is to micromanage your answering service. A dedicated account manager takes care of the behind-the-scenes details that keep everything running smoothly.
Whether you’re updating holiday hours, rolling out a new promotion, or adjusting how messages are handled, your account manager ensures those changes are clearly communicated and accurately implemented. They coordinate with the quality assurance team to double-check that updates are reflected in live calls and agent performance.
They’re Your Problem-Solver and Protector
If something ever goes wrong, your account manager is the one who steps in. They already know your business, your preferences, and what “good service” means to you—so they can resolve issues quickly and effectively.
They act as a buffer between you and the day-to-day noise, handling internal follow-ups, correcting service gaps, and making sure that if problems occur, they don’t repeat.
How Clients Experience the Dedicated Account Management Difference
I’ve noticed a clear pattern from my conversations with clients at AnswerPlus. Whether they’re in healthcare, disaster restoration, or government, one thing always comes up: the relationship with their account manager.
They don’t just appreciate the support. They rely on it.
Clients often mention their account manager as the reason things feel easy, even when situations get complicated. For one home care provider, it was the flexibility to make frequent changes to on-call lists. For a non-profit client, it was about responsiveness during high-volume periods. Across the board, they shared that one quick message to their account manager was often all it took to get things sorted.
Many clients discuss how their relationship has evolved from frequent check-ins to monthly touch points once trust was built. They felt like their account manager truly understood their business, not just on paper, but in the way they anticipated needs and followed through.
We also hear about responsiveness. If mistakes happen, they’re handled quickly, with follow-up and coaching. Clients appreciate that someone is always looking out for the bigger picture, not just reacting to tickets.
We don’t share full quotes without permission, but across dozens of conversations during my 5+ years here, the message is clear: having a dedicated account manager makes everything smoother, faster, and easier—for our clients, and for their customers.
What Quality Assurance Looks Like With and Without an Account Manager
| Feature | With Dedicated Account Manager | Without Dedicated Account Manager |
| Service Customization | Call scripts, greetings, and workflows are tailored to your brand and updated as needed. | Generic scripts are used, and customization is limited or applied inconsistently. |
| Quality Monitoring | QA team is aligned with your expectations, and your AM reviews call performance regularly. | Quality checks are basic, inconsistent, or not clearly tied to your specific standards. |
| Issue Resolution | One familiar contact addresses concerns quickly, with full context of your account. | You may need to re-explain the issue to different people, delaying resolution. |
| Communication | Clear, direct updates from someone who knows your business. | Reactive or impersonal communication, often lacking context. |
| Proactive Service Adjustments | Your AM anticipates needs and recommends improvements before problems arise. | Changes happen only after issues are reported—or not at all. |
| Training and Briefings | Your AM ensures agents are trained on your specific instructions and updates. | Updates may be missed or poorly communicated to the call team. |
| Reporting and Insights | Reports are personalized, easy to understand, and tied to your goals. | Reports are generic, infrequent, lacking key data and context, (or don’t exist at all). |
| Client Experience | Feels like an extension of your team. Service is consistent, responsive, and aligned. | Feels transactional. Service varies depending on who’s available. |
Top Benefits of a Dedicated Account Manager
1. Consistent Service Quality
Account managers act as a quality checkpoint between your business and the call center floor. They make sure the people answering your calls, emails, or live chats are following your instructions and delivering the experience your customers expect.
2. Smoother Communication
Instead of talking to a different support rep every time you have a question, you have one go-to person. Your account manager can filter out noise and keep communication focused, efficient, and easy.
3. Easier Access to Call Data
Need a recording from last month? Or a report on how weekend calls were handled? A dedicated account manager can get you the information quickly—without the hassle of submitting requests through generic channels.
4. Clear Ownership and Accountability
An account manager owns your experience. They’re responsible for follow-through, quality, and making sure you’re getting value from the service. You’re not just a name in a queue.
5. Better CSR Performance
Instead of just maintaining the status quo, account managers look for ways to make things better. That includes refining scripts, suggesting process changes, and supporting agent coaching based on real feedback from your team and your customers.
6. Peace of Mind
Above all, having a dedicated account manager means you can trust that someone is actively looking out for your brand. That confidence allows you to focus on your business, knowing your customers are in good hands.
Questions to Ask Before You Commit
Will I have a dedicated account manager?
This determines how much support you’ll get—and how easy it will be to get things done.
Where are your team members located?
Where your team is located can impact everything from response times to service quality—especially if you value local knowledge or want to avoid offshore support.
What’s the process for making service changes?
A clear, streamlined change management process saves time and avoids errors.
How quickly are issues resolved?
Ask how escalations are handled, what the typical turn-around time is, and who takes responsibility for follow-through.
What are your quality assurance processes?
Look for a clear QA program that includes ongoing evaluations and client-specific standards.
Do agents get coaching based on real feedback?
Your account manager should play a role in flagging coaching needs and driving service improvements.
Can I listen to my own call recordings or view reports?
Make sure it’s not a hassle. Some services limit access or require formal requests. With an account manager, getting the recordings you need should be quick and easy—even if it’s outside the standard reporting window.
The Bottom Line: Account Management Can Make Our Break The Quality of Your Experience With An Answering Service
The quality of your answering service directly impacts your business reputation. And a dedicated account manager is the secret ingredient that makes all the difference.
They’re your quality assurance advocate. Your trusted advisor. Your problem-solver. Without one, you’re just another account number in a sea of clients hoping for consistent service.
With a dedicated account manager, you have someone who truly knows your business and makes sure every caller gets the experience you’d deliver yourself. They handle the details so you don’t have to. They spot problems before they affect your customers. And they make sure changes happen quickly and correctly.
Before you choose an answering service, ask about dedicated account management. Find out how they’ll maintain your standards, how quickly they respond to changes, and what happens if something goes wrong. These questions will reveal whether you’re getting a true partner or just a basic call answering service.
Looking For an Answering Service with Built-in Quality Assurance?
Talk to us about how our dedicated account managers make outsourcing your calls feel like an in-house experience.