In the February 1999 edition of this Journal, Edmund Bradford described the concept of Total Customer Management (TCM) and how it can lead to significant changes in profitability for key account relationships. It was also stated that a foundation for effective Key Account Management is an effective Channel Strategy.
“Within a market segment, ownership of the relationship with each and every customer should be well understood. This means that everyone knows which customers are owned by telesales, which by the salesforce and which by the key account managers.
Distributors, value-added resellers or dealers may be owned by any of the above or by a separate team. Interactions and conflicts between accounts are understood and mitigated in the channel strategy.”
