Account Manager.
The retention team. Your clients. How we sell, how we serve, and how you'll be measured.
Natalie, welcome to Hero.
On behalf of the sales team — we're so thrilled to welcome you onboard. This deck is your reference for the retention side of the business: what you own, how the rhythm of the week works, and where every tool and template lives.
You'll settle in quickly. Meeks will guide you closely for the first few weeks. Anything at all that isn't clear, ask — nothing's a silly question.
Let's dive in.
Retain, rebook and grow your portfolio.
At HERO, we have an incredibly important job. We empower people with life-saving skills — and every company, learner, and person we reach grows our impact. Your role is to manage and support the clients you look after, always remembering that what we do genuinely matters. From the moment acquisition hands them over, you keep them booked, happy, and with HERO for years: retain, rebook, and grow.
Four things you own every week.
Everything an Account Manager does at HERO ladders into one of these four pillars. If a task doesn't sit under one of them, it probably isn't yours.
01 · Retain
Keep them with HERO
Regular check-ins, resolve friction fast, be the friendly face they trust.
02 · Rebook
Lock the next 12 months
Post-session calls, rebook top tiers 12 months out, lower tiers as they wrap.
03 · Grow
Upsell & cross-sell
Add sites, extra sessions, new products. Grow account value each cycle.
04 · Resolve
Handle objections
Reschedules, cancellations, price pushback — turn objections into agreements.
What a client journey looks like.
Every client follows the same loop. Acquisition hands them to you after 12+ months — from there, you run the cycle.
STEP 01
Handover
Acquisition passes the client to you.
STEP 02
Onboard
Intro call, understand their world, set the rhythm.
STEP 03
Check-ins
Proactive contact through the year.
STEP 04
Deliver
Sessions run. Feedback captured. Issues resolved.
STEP 05
Rebook
Post-session call → next 12 months locked in.
STEP 06
Grow
Upsell, add sites, secure 3-year agreement.
→ Loop repeats every cycle. Retain → Rebook → Grow.
Objections show up at every step.
Price, timing, staffing, "we'll think about it." Your job is to hear it, hold the frame, and guide them back into the loop — never let a silent objection become a lost client.
Hustle hard and sell with purpose.
Everything in Part 01's values applies here too. This is how we show up on top of them.
What we're here to achieve.
Increase lifetime value
Upsell and cross-sell into existing clients.
Reduce churn
Prevent cancellations and reschedules.
Boost engagement
Regular contact strengthens relationships.
Improve satisfaction
Address concerns promptly.
Win back lost clients
Recover clients who have churned.
Address pain points
Understand needs, tailor solutions.
Generate referrals
Reward clients who endorse HERO.
Build loyalty
Foster long-term relationships.
Gather feedback
Phone, email, meetings, education team.
Achieve deal targets
Retain and upsell to hit revenue.
Execute with purpose
Convert deals quickly and with energy.
Secure agreements
Lock in pricing for the next 3 years.
38 hours, five days.
Hours
- 5 days · 8:30am – 4:30pm
- Unpaid 30 min lunch (12–2pm)
- 38 hours per week
Work from home
Once you're confident in the role, the whole sales team works from home on Wednesdays. Not swappable — if you need to be in the office, you skip that week's WFH day.
Requires an ergonomic, quiet space with reliable internet.
Time block in the first 15 minutes of your day.
Mornings = calls. Clients are most receptive early. Admin belongs in the afternoon.
Where your time goes.
Zendesk
Proactive · task-driven calls to book, rebook, check-in, winback.
Gmail Inbox
Reactive · client questions, booking requests, changes.
Other
Qwilr, availability dashboard, session summaries, Aircall.
Calls over emails, always. Aircall records everything — you can go back to the transcript if you missed anything.
Top tier first. Every time.
T1 / S1 and T2 / S2 clients are 50%+ of the portfolio value. Prompt, attentive, highest-quality service is non-negotiable.
Prioritise by tier first, then by urgency / due date. This applies to both Zendesk tasks and Gmail inbox.
Lower tier clients still matter enormously — each is a valued training partner. Same level of service, same professionalism.
Note: We'll soon migrate to Hubspot as our new CRM. Task prioritisation there will look different — Meeks will walk the team through it.
Speed = service.
Top tier (T1 / T2)
Same day or < 24h
If you can't fully answer, acknowledge the email, set a realistic response time, and deliver on it.
All other clients
24 – 48 hours
Faster is incredible. Anything urgent gets bumped in priority regardless of tier.
Every platform you'll log into.
All your platforms, usernames and passwords live in one place — your Onboarding Guide in Drive.
Onboarding Guide · Drive
Gmail, Zendesk, Qwilr, Calendly, Asana, Canva, Zoom, Typeform, Teams, Aircall and more — every login you need. Treat as confidential.
The docs you'll live in.
Every doc, tracker and folder you'll open daily is linked in your Onboarding Guide in Drive.
Onboarding Guide · Drive
Sales Tracker, Sales Gem, Hero Labs Timing, Post Session Tracker, Rebooking check sheet, Key Client Allocations, Lost Client Process, Service Agreement Process — all direct links.
One form per action.
Every form link — reschedules, session requests, participant changes, sales reporting — sits in your Onboarding Guide in Drive.
Onboarding Guide · Drive
Reschedule / Cancellation, Training / Session Request, Reasonable Adjustment, Participant changes, Session Summaries, Natalie Sales Report — bookmark them from the guide.
Grammarly + Inbox Zero.
Grammarly
Install on your computer. Every email and document is checked for grammar and spelling before it goes out.
Inbox Zero
Use auto-labels to identify important clients at a glance (e.g. "S1 · St Francis Xavier College"). Ask any of the sales team to see their setup.
Accrued vs invoiced.
Accrued deals
What we focus on.
Deals booked in the month you process them. They can train at any point in the future. This is what the retention team is measured on.
Invoiced deals
When the session runs.
The month the session is actually facilitated. Both amounts are in your sales tracker.
Deal value matters. Deal volume matters more. Book as many as you can, every month.
Rebook 12 months in advance.
After a client's session, they're due to rebook 12 months out. These are called post-session deals. The team's expected conversion is 60%. Your KPI is 40%.
Team average
60%
Your KPI
40%
A client stays with the acquisition team for 12+ months before it comes across to you. From then on, Zendesk task due dates and Asana tasks drive when you make contact.
Nine task names, one action each.
Book
Call to book the client.
Book · Intro
Introduce yourself + book. Handover from acquisition.
Intro · reminder
Introduce yourself + remind of an upcoming session.
Reminder
Advance booking — touch point for top tiers, check auto for lower.
Winback
Retention client lost — re-win them into your pipeline.
Note
Relevant note to read first — star it.
Red flag
Monitor closely — extra attention regularly.
Service Agreement Expiry
Set 3–4 months prior to expiry. Star note the actual date.
Post Session
Call after training — feedback + rebook for next year.
Check-in
For top tiers without regular bookings. 7 months before next date.
When to set each task due.
8–9 months from training due date. Lower tier with no red flags → add to rebooking sequence.
8–9 months from training due date. Must call.
4 months prior to booked training date. Must call.
Now automated — check in Zendesk that the auto-email has gone out.
Read past correspondence first. Understand reason for loss before contacting.
Task naming conventions live in the Sales Brain AI. These may change when we migrate to Hubspot.
Scripts. Templates. Sequences.
Call scripts
Click a phone number in Zendesk → "view script". Adjust to your language — friendly, assertive, professional, direct.
Email templates
Rebooking email templates live inside Zendesk. Use as your starting point, personalise from there.
Sequences
Automated email sequences nurture lower tiers on your behalf. Add qualified clients, let it run, focus your energy on top tiers.
Remember the goal on every call: book, or shorten the sales cycle. Every word wraps around that.
Low tiers. Automate, then follow up.
Step 1
Is a call needed? If not — activate the rebooking sequence for lower tiers.
Step 2
Follow up with a call if no response from the sequence.
Top tiers. Call first. Always.
Step 1 · New clients
Call to introduce yourself, discuss upcoming training requirements, book the date.
Step 1 · Existing clients
Email personalised rebooking template. Follow up with a call within 2–3 days to book.
Step 2 · All
If not ready to book on first contact, follow up within a week. Honour reasonable client-requested call back times — but watch for red flags.
The process evolves.
Automation and AI are a huge focus across the business — and in this team's process. Automation saves time, mitigates workload, and reduces human error.
Client satisfaction always comes first.
If a client is unhappy with anything about their HERO experience — refrain from automation. Pick up the phone. Uncover the reason. Resolve it.
A client may be reviewing providers.
Common cues
- · Asking for a lot of certificate copies
- · Asking for a training record with no session booked
- · Organiser changes
- · Principal changes
- · Pricing request
- · Top tier client not on a service agreement
If you spot one
- Tell Meeks or me immediately.
- Follow up with a call (and email) within 24 business hours.
- Persist — get them on the phone. An email will not uncover the truth.
These conversations cannot be delayed. Early = loss prevented.
Feedback + rebook, in one call.
Script (from Zendesk)
Hi (organiser), it's (your name) from HERO. I wanted to reach out following your recent training session — thank you for choosing HERO. How did the session go from your perspective?
Certificates have been issued to all participants who successfully completed the training — you'll have received a copy.
Next year, your team will be due for (course) and the date that aligns with this year is (specific date). Did the (start time) work well for you this year? I'll ensure the same is secured on (date).
I'll book that in now — you'll have the confirmation email by end of day. We'll reach out closer to the session for participant details. Any questions for me? Enjoy the rest of your day — it was a privilege.
Post session KPIs.
Minimum post-session conversion. Team averages 60%.
T1 & T2 · post-session call within 7 days of training (or email to book a time).
T3 & T5 · post-session call within 14 days of training (or email to book a time).
Five reasons it matters.
Client retention
Locks the relationship for another year.
Mitigates workload
Reduces account manager pressure later.
Preferred date secured
Avoids disappointment of missing out.
Better cashflow
Deposit paid at time of booking.
Builds trust
We manage their training so they don't have to.
Don't be afraid of them.
Objections are an opportunity to learn more about your client. Ask open questions, actively listen, and uncover the gap — or discover there isn't one.
🚨 At the first sign of an issue for a top tier client — escalate to Meeks.
Schools.
Objection
Organiser is hard to reach
Ask when they're free (recess, lunch, after school). Ask reception to pass on a message. Check they're still the point of contact.
Objection
Needs leadership approval to book
Ask the process and timeline. Look to book multiple sessions at once. Book the date — they can move it later if needed.
Objection
PD days not yet allocated
Push to an after-school session if they usually book Hero+. Unusual for schools not to have dates set.
Objection
Too busy to think about it
Nurture. Typically they train same time each year — book that and hold. 99% of clients are already booked for this year.
Objection
Not sure who needs what training
Get time, date, approx numbers. Fine-tune closer. Assumptive language: 'The date that aligns is 28th March — I can lock this in now.'
Corporate.
Objection
Not enough staff to fill a session (T4/T5)
Ask if other staff can join — they're paying for 10. Rare: seek approval for minimum session reduction. Question if they still fit our model.
Objection
Organiser has left, no new contact
Insist on an interim contact — procurement, HR, OHS. Escalate up the chain. We cannot have no point of contact.
Objection
Won't be training this year
Uncover why. Compliance? Budget? New staff? Ask open questions — Who, When, Why, How.
Objection
Budget cuts · fewer sessions
Explore with open questions. Listen. Document in Zendesk. Bring it back to the team.
Use Aircall to listen back to any call, or ask a team member to listen in. We'll workshop a response together at the desk.
Tone. Pace. Filler words. Volume.
Your communication style is the difference between closing the deal and elongating the sales cycle.
Refer to the Persuasive Language and Mastering Communication documents in the Sales Bible for the full breakdown. We'll workshop this together on live calls.
Yours to hold.
Total portfolio value (est.)
Annual value of key clients (est.)
Reference
Top tier list lives in the shared folder + Key Client Allocations document.
Tiers shift year to year — a T3 can step into T2, and vice versa. Manage your list and add account management plans as clients move up.
One plan per top tier client.
Where they live
In your client folder in Drive. Top tier clients handed across from acquisition should already have one.
When to write one
Any new top tier without a plan, or a T3 stepping up into T2 — duplicate the template, fill it in, save it in the folder.
Plans + Zendesk = instant handover context if someone else needs to step in (e.g. while you're on leave).
The bible for every client.
Calls
Log every call. Leave a succinct note on what transpired + the next step.
Star notes
Star acts like a pin — press the star at top of page and only starred notes show.
Notes
Unstarred notes for context that doesn't fit in the task. Rich history helps future you.
Task naming
Use the Sales Brain conventions. One clear task = one clear action. Don't clutter.
Deals
Every deal needs a value ($), the month/year in the name (e.g. 'ABC – Nov 2029'), and your name as owner.
Sequences
Add qualified clients to email sequences to automate nurture and reduce workload.
Check these are up to date.
Phones, contacts, addresses, emails
Main organiser in name/email field #1
Industry
Tag · Marketing 2024
Client tier + past/current customer
Correct owner
Customer category · retention
Special pricing (record current)
Client notes · nuance, incidents, context
Customer tier · 3-year average spend
Accurate details = the marketing team can promote to the right clients in the right way. It's a collaborative effort.
80% of T1, T2 and T3 on agreements.
Top tier clients make up 50%+ of portfolio value. Competitors are knocking. Costs are up. Every business is reviewing its providers.
Offer top tier clients a 3-year service agreement when there's strong rapport, no red flags, no pain points. This is a huge focus — it forms part of your KPIs and OKRs.
Language you can borrow
"I wanted to reach out to discuss the possibility of formalising our wonderful training partnership in a 3-year service agreement — locking in your current prices as a thank you for your continued support. If you're interested, I can email you the link for review and approval?"
Your post-signing checklist.
Email the client back immediately
Thank them for formalising the partnership.
Complete the agreement obligations form
Details populate the key clients spreadsheet.
Email Bee and Davina
Send the PDF + details of the agreement.
Set a Zendesk task 3–4 months prior to expiry
Conversation about extension / renewal.
Update Zendesk client card
New pricing + obligations recorded.
Add dates to Contracts Key Dates calendar
Expiry + reminder dates + Zendesk reminders.
Every 6 months with top tiers.
Formally catch up with each top tier client at least once every six months — virtually or in-person.
Come prepared
- · Calendar invitation in the sales bible format
- · Notes and data prepared — you lead the discussion
- · Reminder email the day before to confirm attendance
You are the authority in first aid training for the client. Lead accordingly.
Nine agenda items.
Introductions and agenda
Proposed service agreement (if relevant)
Any changes in first aid emergencies
How HERO's training is suiting their requirements + feedback
Upcoming sessions booked
Any changes in their business / school
Growth opportunities or fewer participants
Courses we could facilitate that we currently don't
Any items for the client to discuss
What success looks like.
Your full OKR + KPI document is set up with Meeks and lives in Drive. It outlines what success looks like in your role.
KPIs and OKRs are the minimum. The goal is to exceed them.
In the last 1:1 of each month, we reflect against the checklist together and confirm everything's been achieved.
1:1s + team meetings.
1:1 with Meeks
- · You own the agenda — updated at least 1 day before
- · More regular during onboarding, closely guided
- · Self-led once settled — KPIs, priorities, private items
- · Anything urgent? Don't wait. Google chat Meeks.
Monthly Sales Meetings
- · First Thursday of each month
- · Acquisition + retention together, led by Meeks
- · Contribute and collaborate positively
- · Occasionally you'll be asked to prepare something
Weekly + monthly.
Weekly report
Submit before midday every Thursday. Reporting week runs Friday to Thursday. Use the weekly tab of the Natalie Sales Report.
Monthly report
Compiled first week of next month once trackers are reconciled by accounts. Sections: focuses, KPI tracking, OKR summary, figures, commissions payable, Kaizen.
Two emails. One process.
Step 1 · Meeks
Complete the bonus template (Natalie Bonus Report — duplicate the tab each month). Email Meeks with the monthly report + completed bonus template + total commission.
Step 2 · Accounts
Once Meeks approves, email accounts (copy Meeks in) with the amount + link to the bonus report for their reference.
One 1% idea per month.
A Kaizen is an innovative idea to contribute to the business's continual improvement. A lot of small ideas → huge positive impact.
Qualify your idea
- · Have you identified a relevant problem or improvement area?
- · Is your solution practical, feasible, resource-efficient?
- · Are the benefits tangible? Have you estimated impact?
- · Have you planned for long-term maintenance?
- · Is it a 1% improvement for the team or business?
Add your idea to the Kaizen — Sales Team 2026 sheet by the 15th of each month (already in your calendar).
15 outgoing conversations per day.
Calls are proven to shorten the sales cycle and convert more deals than email. We interpret tone, sincerity, we extract answers faster, we influence buying decisions better.
Friendly. Empathetic. Persuasive. Direct. Convey expertise. That's what reassures the client they've chosen a trusted, reputable, premium provider.
KPI
15 calls / day
Relationship building.
Strong communication
Open, honest, consistent — always.
Trust and rapport
Built through consistent interaction and understanding needs.
Active listening
Pay close attention to concerns and feedback.
TIPS to enhance account management
- · Share HERO updates that impact the client — build trust
- · Show interest and empathy in every conversation
- · Make clients feel valued through service agreement offers
- · Recognise long-term loyalty with a personalised note + token
- · Note intricate details in Zendesk for easy recall
- · Share industry-specific marketing when it's published
- · Meet top tiers virtually or in-person 1–2× a year
Understanding client needs.
Depth of knowledge
Check in regularly — know changes in their business + first aid emergencies.
Tailored solutions
Address specific needs and challenges directly.
Value proposition
Clearly articulate the value of HERO's training over competitors.
Proactive engagement + collaboration.
Proactive engagement
- · Regular check-ins to stay updated on needs
- · Anticipate future needs and opportunities
- · Problem-solve — address issues promptly, effectively
Collaboration & teamwork
- · Internal coordination — CX, calendar team, education
- · Client collaboration — involve them in decisions to build partnership
Performance + strategy.
Performance measurement
- · KPIs to measure performance — check in with your manager on anything unclear
- · Continuous improvement — use data to spot gaps and adjust strategy
Strategic alignment
- · Long-term goals aligned with business objectives
- · Value creation for both the client and HERO (e.g. service agreements)
Prioritising these builds strong, lasting client relationships, drives revenue growth, and contributes to the overall success of the business.
Every calendar in one place.
All states calendars
Sessions booked in each state.
Den calendar
Book the big meeting room — check it's free first.
Run the World Room
Book the pink meeting room — check availability first.
Annual Leave calendar
Approved leave dates get logged here.
Hero Meeting Schedule
Internal + external meetings. Use the sales bible format.
Office dog calendar
One pup per day — bookable, calm dogs welcome.
Lunch calendar
Thursday team lunch tradition (from the garage days).
Cleaning duty
Rotating kitchen / bathroom / bin duty roster in the kitchen.
Thursday lunch is paid for by Nik and Rach — up to $250. Two people on rotating roster to arrange.
Asthma + Anaphylaxis training.
Asthma staff training
Course: 22702VIC Course in the Management of Asthma Risks and Emergencies in the Workplace.
Face-to-face. Accredited for 3 years. Paid by each school.
Who: staff with high-risk children, direct wellbeing responsibility (nurses, first aid, camp organisers), high-risk teaching areas (PE, home ec).
Anaphylaxis staff training
Two options for Victorian schools:
- · All staff complete 22578VIC First Aid Management of Anaphylaxis (e.g. Iona College)
- · Or nominate 2 verifiers per campus (Dept of Education / Catholic Ed covers cost)
Independent schools or 3+ verifiers pay for the course. Face-to-face minimum: 10 people.
By offering all courses to a school, we provide consistent, high quality, streamlined training. Guidelines regulated by Ministerial Order 706.
Reschedule vs cancel.
Reschedule
- · Add notes to Zendesk
- · Complete Reschedule & Cancellation Form
- · Duplicate calendar entry, remove trainer, add Hero HQ Calendar
- · Email @calendar (+ @bookings if <3 weeks or PD)
- · Update Asana title + due dates (bookings@ incognito)
- · Update Current Deals spreadsheet
- · Update your Sales Tracker
- · Email organiser confirmation in writing
Cancellation
- · Complete Reschedule & Cancellation Form
- · Email @accounts, @calendar, @bookings if needed
- · Update Asana title + remove dates (bookings@ incognito)
- · Update Current Deals (remove training date)
- · Update your Sales Tracker
- · Email organiser confirmation (if not already sent)
Learn from every loss.
1 · Zendesk
Add details in Zendesk. Enter as a lost deal.
2 · Email your team leader a summary — cover all of this
- · Time they've been a customer
- · Client tier
- · Average spend per year
- · Was communication later than normal / overdue?
- · Was this a red flag in Zendesk?
- · Did we know the organiser was changing?
- · Who is the new provider?
- · Main pain point — price? certs? turnaround?
- · Training cycle — when they usually decide
Transdirect for equipment quotes.
To streamline quotes for equipment sent out for virtual training sessions, we use Transdirect.
The steps
- 1. Log in at transdirect.com.au/members/login
- 2. Click Transdirect logo → instant quote screen
- 3. Enter origin + building type, destination + building type
- 4. Box: 3kg, 30×20×10cm, enough kit for 4 participants (add boxes for more)
- 5. Press calculate. Use TNT — most reliable courier.
Cost: round to actual price + $20 admin fee. Remember to charge return shipping too.
We will support, grow, challenge and develop you.
A team genuinely invested in each other's success, and the success of every client we serve.
Welcome, Natalie.
Let's go build something incredible together.