Six Steps to Total KAM

Increasingly, businesses are recognising that the demands being placed upon them from their Key Accounts are quite different from those of their other accounts.

There is a growing recognition that new approaches are required to manage these accounts.

The principles behind doing this effectively might appear quite simple but, in fact, require major changes across the organisation.

Consequently, very few companies claim to be satisfied with how they measure and manage their key account relationships.

This article draws upon the author’s experience in working with both manufacturing and service organizations in designing and implementing Key Account Management change programmes. It suggests that a holistic approach is required that covers all the domains of change rather than just one (e.g IT).

It also recommends a structured approach that maintains commitment to the change and delivers maximum bottom-line impact.

Updated from an article first published in The Journal of Selling and Major Account Management by the Sales Research Trust, Volume 1, No. 3, 1999