1.2 WHAT IS ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT?

Mission Statement

“As the new business world emerges, enable Account Managers & Suppliers to minimise risk in all that they do with particular focus on client retention, increased productivity & business growth”

Purpose

Long-Term Revenue & Profit Growth

Long-Term Business Relationships

Long-Term Process & Performance Improvement

ASPIRE has two levels of definition for each of its three mission objectives (‘Purpose’). Please remember these at all times as it is so important to be able to recall them at a moment's notice when in the Client environment or dealing with your own colleagues or management.

The words have been very carefully chosen so please don't use any substitutes. In particular, never use the word 'partnership' as it means different things to different people and often has legal connotations.

Definition/Goals

Level 1

To retain, expand & manage Client business in a controlled & measured way in order to maximize long term revenue & profit growth.

To develop & maintain long term business relationships based on co-operation, trust and personal integrity.

To proactively demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement in all areas of Account Management & Development.

Level 2

To ensure every output is delivered on time and to the required level of quality and that Client satisfaction remains paramount at all times.

To develop & maintain teamwork where both sets of people (Supplier & Client) work together with openness, commitment & pride.

To ensure standard working practices & procedures are followed wherever possible and that all areas of performance are regularly reviewed and improvements made as appropriate.

Scope

Account File

ASPIRE is a process which guides you throughout your uncharted Client journey in an organised and structured way. It is key to developing a long-term business relationship, maximising opportunities for further work, services, people & products and avoiding those troubled waters which are never far away.

The heart of your Account Management & Development process will be the Account File. This File accommodates all the information associated with your Company's activities for a particular Account in addition to comprehensive information regarding the Client. A summary of Account File components makes the scope easier to understand:

Mission Statement
Account Manager
Background & History
Client Overview
Client Profile (inc market, business, structure/organisation, people, procurement, suppliers & their own Competition)
Current Position, Scope & Objectives
Account Blueprint (inc strategy, goals/targets, the Competition & SWOT analysis)
Delivery Performance (inc financials, balanced scorecard & issues)
Sales & Marketing (inc orders won & lost, current opportunities, qualification, propositions & pricing)
Account Progress Reviews with the Client (of the Account, not deliverables)
Satisfaction Surveys
Reference Site visits
Risk Management
Contracts, Service Level Agreements, etc

Need

Internally & Externally

The inevitable need for ASPIRE and the all-embracing Account File - anything can happen anytime!

You'll often need to know key things about your Client Account very quickly in order to move with urgency, both internally & externally. Some real-life examples are given below.

Internally:

your bosses require urgent information regarding financial performance relating to delivery and sales activity
your Chairman can make a flying visit to the Client; how quickly can he be briefed on background & history, current sales opportunities & future potential, delivery successes & issues, Client contact details, etc.?
there is an unannounced Head Office audit
the latest Balanced Scorecard, SWOT Analysis and Satisfaction Survey results are urgently required
you need to replace the Account Manager at very short notice

Externally:

as part of their Supplier Review because of external overspend, senior Client management wish to review the Account with you at very short notice
your Company has been accused of not dealing with Client complaints in the prescribed way
a new Client department has a sales opportunity and needs to discuss your Company’s track record
the latest SWOT/Competitor Analysis is urgently required as a Competitor has approached your Company to collaborate in a joint sales bid
you are required to give a presentation at tomorrow's Client Board Meeting following your request for the Client to be used as a reference site

Boundaries

Inclusions & Exclusions

ASPIRE accommodates:

Clients where you have a current commitment to deliver something
Clients who you are not currently working for but expect/hope to do so in the future
where there are opportunities for sales which have come from either identified sales-leads or from your Company's proactive marketing of sales propositions
prospective Clients where you are seeking new business for the first time

ASPIRE does NOT accommodate:

Project Management & Control# (although risk management classifications are fed through to the Account Manager from the delivery, service, people & product areas)
Formal Sales & Negotiation# (although activities are recorded in the Account File)

# however, ASPIRE can significantly enhance the performance of Project Managers, Salespeople & Negotiators if included in their 'portfolio of tools'

ASPIRE can be used for any number of individual Client/Prospect Accounts.

“TEAMWORK, COMMITMENT & PRIDE ARE THE KEYS TO CLIENT SATISFACTION”

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