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ABSTRACT
This Paper is to explain concept of Key Account Management (KAM), importance of this
valuable concept in modern marketing management, selection criteria to find out key
accounts from existing customers, categorising it from prospecting customers list & from
competitors customers list, benefits to both purchasers and sellers, various stages of KAM
relationship building process, terms & conditions where purchaser or seller agrees, risks
involved at the level of both the parties. Critical Key Success Factors, challenges faced in
implementing this concept and relevance to various industrial marketing in various sectors&
segments of industrial verticals& in particular to Instrumentation industry,
It will help in formulating right strategies to achieve Sales Budgets & subsequent Business
Plans of ever ambitious global corporations across the globe, where global customers are
expecting same kind of service where they operate in. It will also help corporations may be
small or big in size to make focused approach, thinking beyond 4Ps of traditional marketing
&it will ensure long term development & retention of strategic customers.
In the era of globalization, no company can afford to ignore KAM. This is that tool which will
build trust & partnership kind of relationship between buyers & sellers across the continents
where customers are going & suppliers are just following them to satisfy their global clients
needs & to find our more business opportunity locally.
This paper explains how important to use KAM in instrumentation industry & Key Account
Management (KAM) is the tool used to optimise the available resources, where resources
itself are limited & Sales Budget pressure is high & adding value to buyer & supplier
relationship.
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KEY WORDS-
KAM, Globalization, Trust, Partnership, Relationship, Gaps, Top Line, Bottom Line, Future.
OBJECTIVE
4. Development& Management of Future with the use of KAM in modern age business.
The Key Account is an account that you can count on for repeat business over time.
Key Account are considered to be the accounts which can have a positive strategic effect on
business. Particularly they are our best & biggest customers.
The concept of Key Account Management was introduced in decade of 1950 in Americas &
Europe. The basic assumption for a key account management model is the correct
classification of the key accounts. A basic model often used in the period of 1950-1970 was
the classification model of Webster, this model has been adapted by Milman and Wilson into
a two dimensional model and was paramount in the period of 1970-1990. Bensaou has tested
this model empirically by his research of carmakers in the United States and Japan and
corrected the fundamental flaws.
De Blick synthesized the adaptations into the 4S-model, which is at present the dominant key
account classification model.
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In the era of globalization, no company can afford to ignore KAM, this is that tool which will
build trust & partnership kind of relationship between buyers & sellers across the continents
where customers are going & suppliers are just following them to satisfy their global clients
needs & to find our more business opportunity locally.
It is an business fact that 80 per cent of revenues come from 20 per cent of your customers in
most of the business segments. It therefore paramount important to pay focus on those key
customers.
Key Account Management (KAM) is one of the best ways to ensure repeat purchases,
additional purchases and referral to other prospective customers like themselves.
Key account management includes sales but also includes planning and managing the full
relationship between a business and its most important customers. An account manager who
works in this role will engage in a variety of tasks including project management,
coordination, strategic planning, relationship management, negotiation, leadership and
innovative development of opportunities, keeping record of transaction of sale and purchase
goods. Some companies have more seasoned account managers. These can be called global
account managers or named account managers
So lets see how does it work? It should be started by dedication of a KEY ACCOUNT
MANAGER whose role is to lead and manage the key account process effectively. How
the key account sees the role of the manager is also importance.
The key account will expect the Key Account Manager to:
Be the main link into your company for all issues
Add value in the relationship to their business by, for example, advising on issues
Relevant to their business & giving them complete solution inplace of mere
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A Key Account Manager is not a mere Sales Manager or Account Manager, this is not the
role of only selling but it is all about long term relationship building & most importantly trust
building between buyer & seller, as we aim to consider buyer should consider seller as
partner, & in this thinking shift KAM manager plays very crucial role.
2. He/She must have Expert Product knowledge w.r.t. application of Key accounts technical
process requirements.
3. He/She should have the knowledge of the key accounts business domain & industry
vertical.
5. He/She must have eye on detail & should posses analytical brain
9. He/She must have cross functional knowledge of complete business of both parties
a)Managing the account & current activities with smooth flow of operation at every level
e) Selling, Negotiating
To improve top line & bottom line significantly with respect to specific time, acquire & retain
strategic customers.
SOURCE-http://www.marketingteacher.com/lesson-store/lesson-loyalty-ladder.html#
accessed on 30 Dec 2012
METHODOLOGY
Explorative Redesign Study is based on one of the Japanese MNC for which name is not to
be disclosed (Industrial Instrumentation &Analyzer company)
The researcher has its own 15 years of experience in the field &is a major input on which
findings are based. Study period is around 3 years i.e. from Jan 2010 to Dec 2012.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE-
A. Segmentation
B. Selecting Key Accounts &Categorizing Key Accounts
C. Development Phases & Risks involved
D. Profiting from Key Accounts
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A. SEGMENTATION
Segmentation means A market Segment is a grouping of customers with similar buying
needs, attitudes & behaviours
Here we see first joy & first headacheIts all about making choices & that is the art &
science of segmentation. How to go for Viable segment? Here are some test questions by
which one can determine proper viable segment---
Is it large enough to justify focused attention ?
Are the customers needs attitudes & behaviours similar enough to be distinguishable
from other segments?
Is it possible to design an appropriate Marketing Mix for the segment?
Is the segment reachable? Can it be identified, measured, analyzed, communicated to,
and sold to discretely from other segments?
Positive answers, will take you close to freezing Viable segment.
By preparing a different & specific marketing mix for each segment ,the business ensures that
it will meet the needs of each grouping of customers in more focused way. It enhances its
opportunity for maximizing profits through premium pricing or differentiation or the offer of
a lowest cost options-whatever the dynamics of the particular segment demands.
Method of Segmentation- Customers Mapping method
It consist two set of factors, do you like them? & theirs (Customers) do they like you?
Expectation of Returns
High High
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*RELATIVE STRENGTH - -
It means our strength in customers eye & we have to access what are they looking
for? This is really difficult task but following points will help us to derive Relative
Strength from customers perspective.
Price
ServiceOn time full measure or Just in Time requirement etc
Technically innovative product
Speed of Response
Quality
Value in use i.e. Value in supply chain, Total Acquisition cost etc
Long term sustainability
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*Types of Accounts
1.Maintenance Account
They are good customers & loyal to us kind of customers, but they give us very less
margins, but we need such kind of customers to maintain our cash flows.
2.Opportunity Account-
These are the customers we may not consider to service because they remember us
only when they dont get any other suppliers & their buying frequency is almost
negligible.
4.Key Account-
These customers are giving you maximum benefit & are critical to our future & they
deserve energetic attention from KAM Managers to keep them on top of change. They
are more susceptible than any others as our competition is also vying them always.
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Phase 3- Integrated Level- In this phase, both the parties realise fullest potential. The
characteristics of integrated key account management are; i) buying and selling
processes/systems and strategies are integrated by both the key account buyer and seller, ii)
there exists complementary and mutually dependent relationship between buyer and seller,
iii) dedicated cross boundary, functional/project team is setup on both sides which are
socially bonded. iv) There are high exit barriers for both the parties. v) Even if there is an exit
by either party, the exit is traumatic, as substantial time, energy and resources are invested by
both the parties. For a buyer, in order to change a supplier several types of costs are involved
such as psychological, physical, and economic costs which may act as a barrier for switching.
FINDINGS
PROFITING from KAM - -
Low Business development costs : Both the parties join hands and leverage their
contacts to make new assignment successful as stakes of both are tied.
Cost reduction & sharing on R&D front
Cost effective design for New Products
Right information at right place at Right time
Reduced uncertainty
Reduced Protection measures
Better logistics management with proper supply
Cost savings getting from most trusted partner
Assured Quality of goods.
Improved Supply Chain Efficiency
Low investment high returns in less time
Faster decline in costs to serve for key customers than for non-key customers
Leading to improvements in Bottom Line
Bonding/Improvements in relations with key customers
Improvement in satisfaction ratings with key customers
Loyalty strength increased, customer becomes advocate for us
C. b) RISKS INVOLVED
EXETERNAL RISKS
Price Pressure
New technology demand always
Key Customers order book is down, so is ours..
*INTERNAL RISKS
We may build capacity for key customer, but if he fails to lift that much material??
i.e. inappropriate asset building
He may be opportunistic with us, can play with others
Inappropriate strategy formation, driven by Key customers
Above internal & external risks can be mitigated by applying proper care &
mechanics.
PURCHASE
MANAGER
SALES
MANAGER
INSTRUMEN
TATION
MANAGER
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PURCHASE
SALES OFFICE
MANAGER CONTACTS
(All level)
CORPORATE INSTRUME
STRATEGY
KAM -NTATION
DEPT. DEPT&
MANAGER PROJECT
DEPT
R&D INSTRUME-
NTATION
DEPT.
DEPT @
FACTORY
LEVEL
CONCLUSIONS
In my paper I analysed the business context of the Instrumentation industry and
identified the need of introducing a managerial concept that would raise the customer
inclination and profitability in highly competitive environment, & I found that Key Account
Management (KAM) is the most appropriate technique to use for.
Strategic accounts & its ever increasing complexity can be addressed by KAM technique.
Proper understanding of the Key accounts by KAM Managers will enable modern business
corporations to address each individual accounts needs & develop solution as per the
complex requirement of those demanding customers & derive financial value from them.
References
www.iimahd.ernet.in
www.wikipedia.org
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