Key Account Manager Best Practice Scorecard
Value creation with the key account has by far the greatest impact but is the most difficult activity for the supplier and Account Manager.
It is important to recognise the following:
Value Creation is not the same as Value Identification – we aim to create new and therefore high impact value for the KA
This requires active input and engagement from the whole business and all the business heads – it is not just a sales or Account Manager activity
It also requires active engagement with the customer at all levels – across departments and at senior level
To create value, we draw on the work from the Blue Ocean strategy and from Design Thinking.
Blue Ocean strategy is concerned with seeking out new high impact ways to meet customer needs.
Design Thinking is a process of fast development which aims to create prototypes for rapid testing.
The Value Creation Scorecard presents a set of core components and their elements set out as objective statements
These components and elements are generic and have been tested in consultation with many companies which have used the process to create high impact value for their KA.
You can use the Scorecard to assess your current process and to identify the knowledge gaps.
The Scorecard is inevitably generic. It is likely that an individual company will require variations and, if helpful, we can work with you to create a bespoke version for your team.
The Scorecard structure follows the three requirements of a good strategy – note that most of the effort is at the start in Diagnosis
There are eight components to the Growth Planning aspect as follows:
Our Value Impact and Activity Assessment – where to we add value now?
Our Competitive Mapping, Analysis and Positioning – how do we compare?
Depth Market Knowledge, Trends and Analysis – what is the market impact?
Total Value Chain Mapping and Analysis – who wants and influences what?
Value Opportunity Identification & Prototyping
Mutual Value Development Process – Joint Planning
Joint Business Working – Operations
Our Strategy, Objectives, KPIs and Plans
A comprehensive assessment of what is happening and the implications for KA and supplier
A detailed review of the KA’s own Objectives/Plans/Needs/Concerns for the company and then business unit, team and individual as appropriate
A clear understanding of how the supplier will add value – the business case to show how the KA is better off commercially and/or financially
Clarity about what the Account Manager wants to achieve by when
A clear and agreed Action Plan for the coming months
Note: This sheet is completed automatically from your input to the individual capability sheets.