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Selling Value-Added Services: 10 Keys to Leading a Strategic Account in the New World of Providing Solutions over Products


By Mike Byrnes, Managing Partner, The Insight Group , Gus Maikash, Partner, The Insight Group.

The INSIGHT Group led four sessions at the Strategic Account Management Association’s (SAMA) annual conference. In the Selling Value-Added Services, ten keys to leading a strategic account in the new world of providing solutions over products were reviewed.

These are the keys to successful account management. It is critically important that the organization be supportive of the account manager’s role. If the organization is not properly aligned even the most talented account manager will fail. The Insight-group has helped many clients align themselves to make the account manager roles (Global or Strategic) successful.

  1. Know the customer better than they know themselves. This means knowing their company, their organization, their culture and processes, their industry, their competitors and their people. People evaluate things differently. There are fact based people, negotiators, people who never complain, people who complain all the time, some are ambitious, some political, some controlling, etc. You need to know what is most relevant to the person you are dealing with and shape your strategy so that it fits the individual.
  2. Know your own company. The clients expect you to know your company but also expect you to know their company. You need to know your products and what your company can deliver. This will ensure that you don’t over commit and damage your credibility. You will need a network inside your company so that you can get things done quickly and so that you can make your firm deliver.
  3. Know the client’s industry. Also know what their competitors are doing, particularly with your products. This is very valuable to the client. They are always concerned with their own competitive position. If there is a significant advancement in their industry, they need to know it and respond. If you know your customer, your products and your customer’s industry you can help them by providing ideas and innovation. Taking on this “advisory” role is what makes an account manager valuable. It is the way you become a “strategic partner” rather than a “vendor”.
  4. Develop a network inside the client’s company and inside your own. The network at the client will provide opportunities. The wider the network the more opportunities you will see. A network in your own company will keep you up on what is happening at other clients and what your company is developing. It is also critical when you manage your company’s delivery. Your credibility internally is just as important as it is with the client.
  5. Build a network of business relationships that will help you understand your client’s industry and business. Staying current on technology and new ideas in your industry and your client’s is critical. Knowledge comes from many sources: publications, academia, and most importantly people – customers, competitors and the guru’s of the industry.
  6. Solve the client’s problem, with integrated solutions & joint solution development – don’t just sell product. There are situations where the customer just wants your product but in most cases what they are looking for is a solution to a business problem. Your understanding of “the problem” will help you tailor the solution for them and often results in a larger sale.
  7. Make your company deliver – provide a single point of contact with authority. The Account Manager must always be the face of the company to the client. You must make your company deliver on what has been committed. You must be the “single point of contact”. To do this effectively you need to stay close to all projects. Your internal network should keep you informed of any issues or problems with a project. When a customer raises an issue you should be able to respond by saying “here is the problem, here is how it occurred, and here is the plan to resolve it”.
  8. Lead and engage the entire team. Though you are the “single point of contact”, the account manager needs to engage all the resources needed from his company. The job is to bring all of them in, manage their work and help them be successful. You cannot be too controlling, everyone needs to feel as though they are a part of the team and be allowed to do their jobs.
  9. Build credibility – through continuity, coverage and professionalism. Credibility is built over time. Continuity with a customer and the industry are critical success factors. If you deliver consistently, professionally and honestly, you will build credibility. Continuity is critical.
  10. Act with integrity. It is not always easy to put the customer first but you should always try to see things from the customer’s point of view. You can’t always take their side. When you cannot take their side, it is important that you explain why. Integrity and credibility go ‘hand in hand’ and are the key factors in any relationship.

These are proven requirements to being a successful strategic account manager. Many account managers try to take short cuts. There is no way to achieve significant results without putting in the effort to “do it right”.

If you would like more information on Strategic Account Management, contact Gus Maikish (gmaikish@insight-group.com) or Mike Byrnes (mbyrnes@insight-group.com)