Course Length: 1/2 Day Pre-Planning, 1 1/2 Days Program

Course Pre-Requisite: Recommend 2-Day Introduction to Sales Process

Course Content:

 Pre-Planning: Account Assessment, Team Evaluation, Data Gathering and Analysis Assignments

 Part 1: Client Impact/Client Contribution Analysis

 Part 2: Key Account - Current Situation Analysis

 Part 3: Opportunities to Move Up the Value Chain

 Part 4: Account Goals and Corporate Alignment

 Part 5: Investment Strategy

 Part 6: Action Plan, Communication Plan, & Milestone  Reviews

Detailed Description:

A. Pre-Planning: Account Assessment and Team Evaluation

The team (s) review the account (s) selected and assess whether the account warrants resource investment and planning; whether the make-up of the account team should be changed, enlarged, or reduced; and whether any internal impediments to success exist.

B. Pre-Planning: Data Gathering and Analysis Assignments

Key Account Management is information driven and thus the team is charged with gathering the most current information about the customer and from the customer, as well as an internal sales history and forecast for the account. So, before the planning session, the process requires some research, some interviews, some data analysis and the preparation of a team briefing.

Part 1: Client Impact/Client Contribution Statements

The team summarizes the 360º information gathered, quantifies the client's financial impact upon the selling organization and the sellers' contribution to the client's business.

Part 2: Key Account Current Situation

A key player analysis is conducted to determine each key player's importance to the strategy, to highlight relationship gaps, and to create action plans that improve positioning.

Part 3: Opportunities to Move Up the Value Chain

The team explores ways to contribute to the client's key initiatives. The ability to add value to a key account by providing business solutions versus product solutions allows you to further differentiate your company, solidify your position, as well as maintain or improve margins.

Part 4: Account Goals and Corporate Alignment

Teams are challenged to make commitments to specific
revenue goals for the key account and to generate ideas for innovation,
differentiation, and profit improvement.

Part 5: Investment Strategy

The participants use creative thinking to explore possible corporate investments that have the potential to dramatically impact the position within the account, including, but not limited to new product or service introductions, capital investments for efficiency or differentiation, support programs, marketing promotions, customer service enhancements, etc.

Part 6: Action Plan, Communication Plan & Milestone Reviews

The key account analysis and planning process culminates in specific action steps and accountabilities. Included in the action steps are scheduled plan review sessions for continuous information management, internal and external communication, and consensus building.

Course Objectives:

To install an systematic process for strategically managing the company's largest accounts; to increase customer intimacy; to protect and grow profitable, predictable revenue streams; to create an internal mechanism for planning, communicating, and continuity of customer care.