Strategic Key Account Management

Increased competition for business has created a great need for specialised management of the relationship with our most important customers. These customers are arguably a business's greatest asset and it is therefore critical that we successfully identify, plan, manage and develop business with these customers in a structured and systematic way.

Many organisations have yet to deal with their major customers in an effective manner. The increasingly competitive market has reinvented the traditional method of supply chain management and the role of supplier has to be taken now to a strategic level, where a high involvement relationship for mutual long term benefit has to be put into place with customers.

There are many opportunities available in an account relationship, from both the supplier and the customer perspective. The challenge for organisations is to harness these opportunities through proper planning, effective management combined with high level interpersonal, communication and influencing skills.

The Challenge:

• Larger, tougher customers with complex organisations;
• Shifting supply chain costs back to you;
• Introducing global policies and "rules" for suppliers;
• Demanding higher service levels and more discounts and incentives;
• Knowledgeable about technology, product specifications, the market, and your competitors;
• Have high expectations and are lifting the bar on supplier selection;
• Supplier complexity - multiple business units selling to the same customer;
• Products and services alone no longer provide a source of competitive advantage - relationships are critical;

Sample of in-house customised program outcomes:

• Facilitate change from traditional sales culture to strategic key account management;
• Move from transactional selling to strategic partnership relationship;
• Segment the customers - who is important, identify where to direct attention;
• Develop a simple and fast written Account Plan;
• Prioritising and planning - the key to success as an account manager;
• Research information (or gaps) needed for profiling each account;
• Conduct a simple SWOT analysis to identify competitive advantages and weaknesses at the account;
• Conduct a value added search - identifying opportunities to add value and providing a TBE (total business experience);
• Developing key objectives for each account (including relationships);
• How to most effectively promote the unique value proposition;
• Identify importance of client relationships - the human side of business;
• Improve skills needed to build relationships - EQ;
• How to build rapport (trust, respect/likeability) - the foundation of all relationships;
• Completing a "relationship matrix" - strategic tool;
• Identify "key influencers" and how to maximise strategic advantage;
• Strategies to maintain and strengthen customer relationships;
• Effectively managing client expectations;
• Learn essential influencing skills needed to "sell" solutions and valued add proposals;

Our approach is to create a unique in-company workshop, or individual 1:1 coaching, for you which involves the following process steps:

Needs analysis - A needs-analysis is conducted with management and participants to ensure the workshop caters to specific development needs and identifies common trends across the organisation.

Customised - the workshop is custom designed to be relevant to your customers, markets, products, processes, company policies and specific challenges.

Personalised - participants will work on their own real-world problems during the workshop.

Interactive - will involve open discussion, role playing and small-group sessions.

Minimum disruption - workshops are scheduled to ensure a minimum of disruption to normal business operations. Our sales training workshops can be completed at one concentrated time or spread out over a period of weeks or months. A conference, seminar or meeting is an ideal time when the whole team is together, to focus on improving strategies and skills.

Follow-up - On going coaching support for the team leader and team members as appropriate.

Contact us to arrange a free, no obligation meeting or discussion. We are confident to back our services with a results based performance guarantee.

Office: +61 3 86781889   |   Mobile: 0412 369 223
Email:
Level 7, 505 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia