Learning CenterGuide 19 · Building Your TeamRole sheet 4 of 8
Growth & People · When to hire
Adding an Account Manager
This sheet helps you decide when to add an account manager: the signs to watch for, what the role owns, whether the math works and how to hire it right.
When maintenance clients only know the owner, renewals are at risk.
Maintenance relationships, renewals & enhancementsIs it time?
Tick what's true for your company todaySigns it's time · check what's true today
Does the math work?
Example pay · 20% burden · 60.3% gross marginThe example (per year)
- Base salary (example)$60,000
- + Labor burden & benefits (20%)$12,000
- + Vehicle & phone$10,000
- = Loaded cost per year$82,000
- ÷ Gross margin60.3%
- = Added revenue to cover the role$135,987
Payback: Raising renewals 5 points on $1M of maintenance keeps $50,000 of recurring revenue, about $31,000 of gross profit at a 62% margin.
Does the math work for you?
Put in the pay you would offer and your own gross margin.
Making the hire
Hire it right
Common mistake
Treating the account manager as a complaint desk. Their job is to keep and grow accounts, so measure renewals and enhancements.
How to pay it
Salary plus bonus on renewal rate and enhancement gross profit from their accounts.
The first 90 days
Day 30: walks every account. Day 60: renewal plan and price-increase list. Day 90: owns renewals and enhancement sales.
Ranges reflect common green-industry practice, not rules; your margins, service mix and the owner's strengths decide the timing. Salaries are examples only; use local market pay. Revenue needed uses the example company's 60.3% gross margin.