There are tons of articles out there discussing the duties of product managers and outlining how PMs can be successful in their roles. 

However, there isn’t a lot of information about what PMs don’t do.

In other words, what are some tasks or duties that are often mistakenly assigned to PMs? What do people often assume that PMs do that falls completely outside of their job duties? Or perhaps, what do PMs typically do that should be delegated to another person within the organization? 

To answer these questions, we turned to some experienced product managers to find out what they had to say. Keep in mind that the insights from each expert are based on their own experiences and views. We suggest seeing these perspectives as part of a bigger conversation, not as the final word. Remember, every expert’s take is influenced by their own work and background.

These experts have given us their opinions on what PMs do not do: 

Read on for their hot takes on what product managers should not be taking responsibility for!

Thanks to Nikki Carter for crafting this piece for GoPractice.

Nikki Carter is a journalist and editor. 

She’s worked with companies like Indeed, Skillshare, and Wistia. Her articles have been published in Business Insider, The Muse, and more. 

PMs are not inherently client-facing  

First, product managers generally are not client-facing or customer-support personnel. There is a clear distinction between those roles and that of the PM. Unlike account managers and customer support staff, PMs have the advantage of being able to solicit direct and unfiltered feedback, separate and apart from other issues. This feedback is necessary to iterate the product. 

It should not be assumed that PMs will jump in to resolve customer support issues, either. Instead, customer support teams should be responsible for issue resolution, and PMs can intervene when fixes are necessary.

Katya Sapozhnina, Director of Product at Octane AI

Having served in the roles of both an account manager and a customer support manager before transitioning into Product Management, I understand the distinct nuances of these positions. 

PMs are not inherently client-facing roles like my previous positions. This clear distinction allows PMs to solicit unfiltered, direct feedback from users, unconstrained by the typical concerns linked with contracts or billing issues. It creates a space where users can freely express their genuine thoughts, including negative feedback, to PMs, ensuring that this input is harnessed constructively to refine the product. 

Meanwhile, client-facing personnel, like account managers, concentrate on fostering and maintaining client relationships, smoothing over any concerns to ensure a positive client experience. This delineation of roles ensures that while the client relationship is preserved and strengthened, product development is simultaneously driven by authentic user feedback, leading to a product that truly resonates with its user base and addresses their real needs.

Scott Fincher, Senior Product Manager, TransLogic

Understanding customer pain points is critical to any product manager’s success, at a high level. However, some organizations may take this too far, expecting product managers to play an active role in resolving specific customer problems. This is a trap product managers must avoid. 

Typically, there is a customer support team specifically tasked with helping a customer resolve an issue. If needed, that team will escalate the issues; if it is determined that a fix is needed in a future product release, only then would product management help prioritize the effort against other initiatives.

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PMs are not the default crisis unit for minor product issues

Building on the last point, product managers are not the first line of defense against minor product issues. Instead, PMs should be free to focus on the product’s vision and ultimate roadmap.