Imagine, you are the General Manager in a pharmaceutical company. Into your office comes a Division Manager. “You know you asked for ways to improve our relationship with United Hospitals”, she reminds you about the last management meeting. “I’ve got it. We need to innovate for them!” She says with a grin. What’s your reaction?
Read MoreWe’ve worked with global companies embedding account management frameworks and these companies continue to be successful. What drives that success?
Read MoreCompetition in the B2B world has never been fiercer. With more companies fighting over every contract, the sales teams are now laser-focused on the next sale and holding on to each customer, whatever it takes. How organisations measure their employees, and what behaviours they reward add to the laser-focus on short-term gains.
Read MoreI love seeing successful professionals at work: watching a great tennis player return an unwinnable shot, or a swimmer come from behind to win the greatest race of her life.
It’s the same as when in a tough negotiation someone asks a great question that unlocks value, breaks a deadlock or achieves a great outcome.
Read MoreEveryone is individual, yet we alter our behaviour according to different circumstances. Think about the way you interact with your friends. You don’t treat all your friends the same, do you? Isn’t there someone you know who’s a bit more sensitive than most – so you have to be extra careful not to hurt their feelings. Or what about that member of the family with such thick skin that you need to be blunt?
Read MoreBusiness to business (B2B) or Business to Consumer (B2C), it's just selling and marketing to one person, isn't it? With B2C it's selling and marketing to the person who picks the product off the shelf or clicks the link on a webpage. With B2B, its selling to the buyer who gives you a purchase order, isn't it? To be successful you must understand two critical differences between B2B and B2C.
Read MoreThe issue of creativity will determine whether or not your company will survive or become a statistic. Trying to create an environment that is conducive to creativity, both for yourself and your teams will ultimately become a top priority for your company. How can your team become more creative?
Read MoreIn B2B settings negotiations are more complex than ever before. Most companies know how to prepare for and negotiate effectively but don't have a strategy or framework when negotiating with their top 10-20 accounts. They negotiate based on who is the 'top gun' negotiator.
Why is this?
Read MoreExecutive sponsorship is any change initiative is imperative to success. It is just one of the five risks to managing the change: implementing strategic account management, as discussed in 'What are the risks with organisational change?'
With a SAM program the entire business must own major accounts. There must be genuine commitment and active involvement from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and other senior executives..
Read MoreManagers in today's complex business environment require negotiation skills for business success. They need to develop a tool kit of negotiation strategies and understand how these influence and are influenced by their surroundings. Being successful in leading groups and shaping group decision making is vital, both internally and with key customers and suppliers.
In your tool kit you need tools to manage:
How do you manage organisational change with Strategic Account Management (SAM)?
Introducing a SAM program into your organisation must be treated as a major change initiative. Treating the project as purely a sales project is setting yourselves up for failure.
A SAM program takes time to get results and is an initiative to change organisational culture.
Read MoreMany companies discover their largest accounts are transactional. They generate high revenues; however, place minimal value on the relationship and minimal value on your company's products and services. They are not interested in developing a strategic relationship with your executive team and if they do it is only to discuss getting reduced prices.
So, how should you best handle these accounts?
Read MoreThere are a few relentless market trends impacting how B2B companies do business. These market trends are long-term and impact the top and bottom lines of B2B companies around the world.
1. Customer Consolidation
2. Centralisation of Decision Making
3. Different Decision Makers
4. Increasing Competition
All of these market trends are making it harder to keep, win and grow customers profitably. What does this mean for your organisation?
Read MoreManagers in today’s complex business environment require negotiation skills for business success. They need to develop a toolkit of negotiation strategies and understand how these influence and are influenced by their surroundings. Being successful in leading groups and shaping group decision making is vital, both internally and with key customers and suppliers.
Read MoreLast week, Peter Browne from Gordian Business was presenting in Florida at the Strategic Account Management Association’s 50th Anniversary Conference. Peter was presenting a case study of a successful client who in a mature market grew profit ahead of their 5 year plans...
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