By Chris Cochran
One of the public libraries near me maintains an entire aisle for its “friends” group’s ongoing used book sale, outside of the special events a couple of times of year where they essentially create a pop-up store to bring out the used book “big guns” – the collectible editions they’ve received, oversized art and photography books, or items pertinent to the local area. But the ongoing aisle sale is still chock full and gets re-stocked regularly.
There’s one small shelf for business books — but does a 10-15+ year-old biz book have any current value? The classic ones do, of course. The pop culture ones maybe not so much. But for $1 or $2 per book, taking a couple home to examine further is an inexpensive way to keep expanding my viewpoint.
For just that reason – and for $1 – I recently picked up Brain Surgery for Suits: 56 Things Every Account Person Should Know (which I since discovered is now known as The Art of Client Service and is in its third edition) by Robert Solomon. It was a slim volume but looked likely to have some relevant and universal insight and advice – even with a publication date of 2000.
Solomon’s insights about what makes a good account person made the book feel almost like a Chicken Soup for the Soul – The Account Person Edition. It is geared a little toward the advertising industry, but you don’t have to work in advertising to learn from it.
During my career as a research librarian and library manager in U.S. federal libraries, I was both a service provider to my internal clients and the client of data and research services providers – so I interacted with lots of account people. Now as a solopreneur, I’m the account person. Solomon’s book appealed to me for just that reason. Reading it has been my (former New York City mayor) Ed Koch “How’m I doin’” moment – Koch famously stood at subway stations asking his constituents about his on-the-job performance. I’m asking myself that question now.
I whittled down Solomon’s numerous insights, which are universal to any client service provider — not just ad account execs — to these Top 5 Quotes:
- “The best account people are flexible and open-minded – able to handle the unexpected with grace.”
- “Never burn a bridge. You never know where a former client will end up.”
- “Always manage client expectations from the outset.”
- “Begin every client relationship…with a clear understanding of the client’s goals.”
- “Don’t fall in love with good work…[it’s] the enemy of great work.”
These quotes fit right in with my professional values, past and present. The messages they convey have kept me on my toes and challenged me during my career.
But I found one other quote that might be up for a little discussion – at least among MY peers, for whom accuracy and thoroughness are key brand components:
“Know when to look it up; know when to make it up…There’s a time to put the research away and go with your instinct.”
I understand where Solomon is coming from on this one, but of course as a researcher, it is a bit of a hard stop for me. He cautions further not to let information interfere with understanding:
“Combine what you know with what you feel in order to push for new ideas and better solutions.”
Hard to argue with that, but be very careful. We all reach a point when exploring facts, finding answers, and analyzing data can’t be taken any further. At various times the information I gather may not be conclusive, but if I’m confident it is the best and most thorough available, my clients can make the decisions they need based on the facts and their instincts. I’ll do my best to manage their expectations along the way.
We all need some business “chicken soup” once in a while. Solomon’s Brain Surgery fills the bill.
Do you have a favorite concept about managing accounts and clients? What’s your philosophy? Please share in the comments.
An Inquiring Mind 
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