Key account management

Part one: Definitions and purpose The key account approach-- Why Key Account Management?-- The spectrum of KAM ambition-- What is a key account?-- What is Key Account Management?-- -- Part two: Analysis: opportunity and value-- Knowing the market, knowing your value-- Knowing the people, knowing your value-- -- Part three: Relationship management-- From 'bow-ties' to 'diamonds'-- Decision mapping and contact strategies-- The good, the bad, the sad and the ugly-- -- Part four: Achieving key supplier status-- The purchasing revolution-- Supply chain management: seeking value-- Purchasing organization: rationalization and centralization-- Supplier positioning: managing suppliers-- -- Part five: Achieving strategic supplier status-- Being of strategic value-- How do they plan to grow?-- How do they aim to win?-- What drives them?-- A shared future? -- -- Part six: The value proposition-- The customer's total business experience-- The customer's activity cycle-- Measuring the value - securing the reward-- Making the proposal-- -- Part seven: Planning and joint planning-- The key account plan-- Joint planning-- -- Part eight: Targeting-- Customer classification-- Customer distinction-- Global Account Management-- -- Part nine: Making it happen-- Sins and requirements-- Leadership and organization-- Skills, attitudes and behaviours-- The role of information technology -- Measuring customer profitability-- The implementation plan-- Training and further help--

An organization's key accounts are its lifeblood. Key account management focuses on the long-term investment of resources in customers that can offer an exceptional return on resources. But which are the key accounts? Are they the ones growing the fastest? The ones that are most financially secure? Or are they the ones that shout the loudest? Key Account Management puts forward a straightforward and effective planning methodology. This fully updated 6th edition of Key Account Management takes a long-term, team-selling strategic view of the whole process, from defining the customer, to managing the relationship and achieving key supplier status. With coverage of latest best practice including IT's role in account management, plus new case studies, online supporting resources and a new section comparing how different industries/markets approach key account management, it stands alone as the premier book on managing key customers.Online resources include helpful templates, guides for students and lecturers, and self tests to ensure that best practice is being followed.