Key account management skills for the new paradigm

Account planning has evolved from the wine and dine times to providing strategic
solutions – and shows no signs of stopping. The tribal knowledge present in the teams
can become enterprise memory with digital KAM and narrate a story of the client’s needs
to the Key Account Management team – allowing them find innovative ways of meeting
them.

This means key account managers can focus on proactively understanding and trying to
solve client’s problem, instead of trying to keep the records straight. The changes to
working conditions all over the world provide another reason to relook at skills required
to manage key accounts – the old ways are not relevant anymore. The changes to the
way we work have been so drastic that in a couple of years, organizations that don’t
have any sort of key account management practice that relies on structured data – will
not be able to succeed.

With structured information about clients and insights derived from AI and ML tools,
Account Managers can provide the necessary human touch efficiently. The key
customer representatives want to succeed in their positions – and are looking for
strategic partners who can empathize and help them achieve business goals. By treating
key accounts as strategic partners, organizations can see the real value of the business
relationship – where the skills of account managers are enhanced by the tools at their
disposal.