There are many parts to effective Strategic Account Management. The challenge is not to focus on just one or two in isolation but to build a programme that has all the components aligned in the same direction at the right time.
The Strategic Account Management Association estimates that only 20% of SAM Programmes are fully functional and effective.
Most SAM Programmes fail because they take a narrow view of where the work needs to be done. Some SAM Programmes focus on developing good strategic account managers, some on developing robust strategic account plans, some on understanding the customer and some on getting the measurement & reward system right. There are a number of building blocks to a SAM solution.
The most successful programmes have understood this and have addressed all of them to create a complete and aligned approach to managing their most important customers. In this short article we will take an initial look at each of the blocks.
First published in Sales Director magazine, August 2001
