At first glance, client services and project management may seem similar, but their focus is not the same. Client services concentrate on relationships and aim to make clients feel heard, supported, and satisfied from start to finish.
Project management, on the other hand, is about delivery. Project managers create schedules, track budgets, manage resources, and solve problems to ensure the work is completed on time and within scope.
Take a marketing agency as an example. The client services manager meets with the client, discusses goals, and manages expectations. The project manager then takes those goals and turns them into a detailed plan for the team to execute.
Both roles are essential. Without client services, relationships suffer. Without project management, delivery falls apart. The difference is clear: client services build trust, while project management delivers results.