Julie Koepsell
Chief Client Officer
The New Mandate for Client Service Leaders
When I started my career in agency client services, decades ago, it was called "account management." Today, that term has become a negative one, often associated with reactive order-takers and people-pleasers. Needless to say, the role has evolved over time. Today, the CourtAvenue client service team is called Business Innovation (BI). For us, that means our leaders own the business. They're not just managing a relationship; they are immersed in the client's industry, up to speed on the latest in digital innovation, and serve as a strategic consultant. They're ultimately accountable to the client for helping them achieve their goals and to the agency for keeping the business financially healthy while maintaining our exceptional NPS score of 86.
Although they aren’t always easy to see or quantify, the core tenets of the role are strategy, leadership, judgment, and delivering that in a way that builds trust.
We provide the full 360-degree view of the client. We navigate the ambiguity of their business environment, identify game-changing opportunities, and align teams to create solutions. This means knowing their business inside and out, their goals, their challenges, and what keeps them up at night. And it also means knowing the person behind the business. Their birthday. Their spouse’s and kids’ names. Their weekend plans. Their favorite team. The best client service leaders don’t do this because they have to, they are deeply invested in the person, the partnership and client success.
Marketing Has Changed. The Role Hasn't.
The marketing function has evolved and become more complex. Modern marketing leaders must understand data and analytics to gain insights. They must understand technology to enable solutions. They must be an expert in the growing complexity of the omnichannel environment to drive demand and loyalty. They must partner with finance to deliver ROI. And now there is AI, enabling us to think even faster and deliver even smarter.
Here’s the twist, despite everything that’s changed in capabilities, channels, and tools, the most important thing hasn’t changed at all.
We Are Still In The Relationship Business.
This is why client service hasn't gone away. Agencies and marketing leaders who want a real partner, not just a vendor, know that this role is a value driver. At our core, we are deeply invested in the whole person and the brand. We build trust. We guide. We listen. We tell the truth. We say the hard things with clarity and care.
This is a job that is about doing a hundred things at once:
- Listening and leaning in when uncomfortable conversations need to happen.
- Assembling and enabling all-star teams to do their best work.
- Understanding the big picture, the nuances beyond the KPIs in the brief and knowing all of the client acronyms.
- Seeing three steps ahead, around corners, and removing roadblocks.
- Raising the flag when something is off, even when it's uncomfortable.
- Being the person your team trusts to have their back, and the client’s.
- Navigating the stuff that doesn’t make it into scopes, the personalities, the hot buttons, the gray areas.
The CourtAvenue Difference
Our BI leaders operate with the discipline of a business owner. They are accountable for delivering mutually-beneficial outcomes, which means they are focused on achieving both client and agency KPIs simultaneously. While we are focused on results, we also believe that the fun is in the journey. While other agency account teams are taking orders and executing, the experience with CourtAvenue is different. We push (or pull), we relate, we elevate, we solve. We’re “in it” with our clients and they know they always have us ready to support in any capacity.
Proactive Initiative
Our leaders don’t wait for new projects, they are consistently studying the business and the industry and identifying ways they can help clients achieve their goals. By mastering both CourtAvenue's capabilities and the broader market landscape, they become strategic catalysts for our clients. They identify critical marketing challenges, clearly articulate the need for change, and assemble the right subject matter experts to deliver business-driving solutions and a forward-thinking partnership.
Radical Empathy
We go beyond understanding a client's professional needs. Our BI leaders practice radical empathy, a deep understanding of the pressures, motivations, and even the personal challenges our clients face. This mindset allows us to anticipate their needs and build a level of trust that transcends any contract. We operationalize this belief by building client-dedicated teams and ensuring our BI leaders work in close geographic proximity. This in-person presence fosters genuine relationships, improves collaboration, and directly impacts our clients' bottom line.
Strategic Storytelling
We connect the dots between client goals, creative output, and tangible results. We craft compelling strategic narratives backed by data. Our leaders weave a story that demonstrates how our work directly drives the client's success. We are accountable four times a year when we deliver both internal and external Quarterly Business Reviews. This provides a comprehensive, executive-level view of the business landscape, financials, and a clear path forward. These reviews enable us to track progress toward a long-term vision while remaining agile enough to adjust as needed.
True Collaboration
Our leaders understand that success is a team sport. They foster an environment of trust and partnership, both internally with our creative and technical teams and externally with the client. Our BI leaders partner seamlessly with operations to ensure flawless delivery, providing clients with multiple points of contact for maximum impact. This genuine collaboration creates a synergy that delivers cutting-edge solutions and empowers clients to succeed on their own terms.
Here's the truth: When client service is working, no one notices. When it's not, everyone feels it. This job isn't fluff. We put out fires, we build trust and deftly navigate complex situations. And while it takes the whole team to win a client’s heart, there’s usually one person making sure that everything comes together.
The expectations will keep growing. The tools will keep changing. But showing up, telling the truth, and helping people do their best work? That’s never going out of style.