What is your background and how long have you worked at Hopewiser?
John: I’m fast approaching 8 years at Hopewiser, the time has flown by! I started as a fresh faced 21 year old at Bank of America (MBNA at the time), working in the Card Activation team. Within 12 months I was asked to join the Fraud Strategy team, analysing fraud trend data to identify future financial risk.
This was the start of my background (and passion) in data and understanding the importance of having the correct data for customers. Incorrect or out of data customer information has always been an issue in the financial marketplace and it has a far reaching negative impact on a business.
My last role before joining Hopewiser was working as a Key Account Manager for a fraud detection software company called Synectics. Working on-site with a Tier 1 financial organisation and assisting higher management within their fraud strategy teams. This role gave me a solid foundation in Account Management and a passion for the role I’m currently in at Hopewiser.
Emma: I celebrated my first Hopewiser Birthday in December and what a whirlwind year it’s been. Prior to Hopewiser, I was with a company for ten years in the construction industry as a sales and account manager. IT and construction couldn’t be further apart so it’s been a good learning curve for me, as well as a great role.
Describe a typical day in your job?
John: I’m not sure there is a typical day as an account manager at Hopewiser, that’s why I love this role! I could be in the office speaking to clients and assisting them with their data requirements and the next I could be presenting to system users/IT contacts and higher managing. Regardless of where I am or who I’m with, every day revolves around giving the very best service to our clients.
Emma: It is very much dependant on my clients and how I can assist them, whether that is meeting them face-to-face to discuss their account, holding video training sessions to system users or simply a friendly catch up. We have just launched our new online Portal so my current focus is ensuring my clients are reaping the benefits.
What do you enjoy most in your role?
John: Well that’s easy…..My passion is and always will be meeting our clients face-to-face, working alongside them and seeing the huge impact Hopewiser has on their business and their customer experience.
Emma: For me it’s all about my clients and making sure they are getting the most out of Hopewiser. I want our customers to have full transparency and knowledge of the products and services they have with us. This is why I love the Portal, everything is in one place and it gives the power back to them to manage their own account – not totally however, I still love having them as clients!
Why do you think an Account Manager is important?
John: I don’t think an account manager is important, I know it is essential. Hopewiser has always encouraged their Account Management team to take a “consultative” approach to the role. By doing this, I can add value, which increases the return on investment, which helps strengthen the relationship.
Emma: I think it is an integral part of the business, my role doesn’t just encompass the day-to-day running of the accounts but also the building of relationships. Our customers are long standing and in some cases, companies have been with us since the beginning which is a testament to the Account Management team.
For clients that have our legacy products, how do you manage these?
John: The same as any other client, their fundamental data requirement are the same.
The Probe product has many benefits to larger organisations. Having the functionality to accurately process a large number of address records and not being forced to upgrade the software (and charged), is a valuable asset to our mainframe clients. However, keeping clients up to date with our latest software and services, allows them to decide what is the best solution for the business long term.
Emma: Exactly the same as clients with our current products. I understand not all of my clients are able to update their systems, however, it’s my job to ensure they are aware of the different benefits and be on hand to assist should they want to look at upgrading.
What challenges do our larger clients face and how do you help them?
John: I’ve worked within large organisation for several years and I’ve faced the same day to day challenges as our clients face.
Dealing with a large number of internal challenges, from internal policies and procedures to bringing in outsources personnel can be challenging enough. What can seem a simple task, can be very challenging and time consuming for our contacts. Understanding this and doing everything in my power to make this process simpler is a huge bonus for our clients.
Emma: I find with larger companies come more complex problems, simply due to the fact there are more people involved and there are more hoops to jump through. My job is to try to reduce these problems, whether that is through knowledge transfer, ensuring our compliance documents are readily available, arranging support assistance, or just to act as a soundboard! I will always do my best to help in whatever capacity I can.
, updated 6th February 2020.
Topic: Our People
