Can you create a strategic account management program?

Strategic account management programs require a significant amount of work and resources to be successful. How do you know if this is the right time to begin developing and rolling out your program? Here are several questions to help you decide if this is the right time to start your strategic account management program.

• Does your strategic account management program help your company exceed corporate growth goals and business objectives?
• Have you analyzed your market and its buying behavior? Can your market’s future growth support a strategic account program?
• Do your competitors have strategic account management programs? What are their strengths and vulnerabilities?
• Can your new strategic account management program create new opportunities for growth and profits in your organization?
• Can you identify the critical elements influencing success for your strategic account program? Do you believe your organization can meet these objective standards with your new program?
• How will you determine the priorities and objectives of your strategic account program? Are you able to measure these key elements of success throughout the program’s rollout and management?
• Is your organization prepared to meet and exceed the priorities your customers have for strategic account program success? Are both partners committed to reaching these new standards?
• How prepared are you to act on your strategic account management initiative? Who leads this program team?
• Are the senior level leaders prepared to initiate immediate specific actions that show their commitment to success on your organization’s strategic account management program?
• Are you prepared and committed to get the right people on your team to ensure the success of this new program? Are they committed to the program’s success?

These are easy questions to answer. Many leaders avoid asking their teams for answers. I’ve discovered many companies have not considered these questions before committing to a strategic account program.

They are simple to answer, but hard to hold people responsible for. How does your organization respond to a big challenge? Building a strategic account management program is a big challenge, no matter how successful your organization currently is.

As an entrepreneur who is committed to growing your business, it is critical that you ask these questions before engaging resources to this new program.  If you have uncertainty on any more than two of these questions your program will fail. If you’re unsure how to respond to any of these questions, contact me.  I can help you clarify and understand your response.

Can a shared purpose help your strategic account management team work better together?  You might enjoy Can Shared Purpose Develop a High Performing Team?

Next week I’ll share an idea that can impact your company’s future.  See you next week.