Ask Us Anything about Key Account Management Technology

Congratulations!

If you are here, that means you are asking yourself whether technology can help transform the way you Manage and Grow Key Accounts.

And of course, the thing about good questions is that they lead to several more questions.

We have tried to address some of the more obvious ones here- but if there is something more you would like to know, please email us at info@demandfarm.com, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thanks for stopping by!

So, tell me about Key Account Management technology (KAM Tech)

KAM relationships are people driven - how can technology help? How can technology replace what a KAM does?

While the core of Key Account Management will always be relationships, the way you can manage and grow these relationships can be greatly aided with the right technology.

DemandFarm technology is designed to enable – not replace – the people who drive success with Key Accounts- not just the Key Account Managers but all stakeholders – including Sales Leadership and Sales Ops.

For the Key Account Manager, it’s simply not possible for one person to manually keep track of the complex organizational structures in global organizations and map the formal and informal networks and affiliations to strategic advantage. DemandFarm joins the dots across diverse variables and dynamics, to enable better management and tracking of these complexities. So you never miss another opportunity.

It also delivers timely and actionable insights- especially about building and leveraging the right relationships at the right time.

For the organization, translating the wealth of intelligence about the Client residing in the Key Account Managers head into organizational knowledge by institutionalizing core KAM practices helps build competitiveness and reduce person dependency, especially in the case of unforeseen separations with Account Managers.

When and why should we consider Key Account Management tools or technology?

If you are a B2B solutions provider that works with global customers, offer complex solutions, usually with long-term engagements, you probably need more than standard CRM to manage the special requirements of your Key Accounts. The elite group of customers that bring in 80% of your revenues needs deeper analysis, better planning, and more robust governance than CRM can offer.

Don’t let them get lost in the crowd with thousands of other regular Accounts in your CRM.

Bring them into laser sharp focus with DemandFarm’s technology built specially and exclusively for Key Accounts.

Why wait? See if technology can transform the way you manage and grow your Key Accounts with a free 30 day trial of DemandFarm.

But.. I already have CRM. And a Sales Methodology.

We are invested in a customised CRM legacy platform. We cannot reinvest in another software now.

If you are already invested in a CRM system, then half the battle is won. Adding DemandFarm can boost your Key Account Managers efforts exponentially. DemandFarm can be added onto any existing CRM solution and work from inside that ecosystem, to bring your most valuable Clients into laser-sharp focus. There is no software development; there is no platform.. it’s as simple as plug and play. An added bonus is our data consumption model – most of the insights and reports are generated from data available in your existing CRM system – that means no additional data form fills for Account Managers. See for yourself – try it free for 30 days when you sign up for our no-obligations trial.

We are already on Salesforce. Why do I need DemandFarm?

B2Bs across verticals are adding DemandFarm to their CRM. That is because Key Accounts need laser-sharp focus and a unique set of best practices. However, for users of Salesforce, there is an added advantage – DemandFarm is native to Salesforce. It has been featured on Awesome App of the Week as well as on AppMavericks for the value it’s been adding to Salesforce users. What that means for you- as a Salesforce user – is that getting started with DemandFarm technology to manage and grow your Key Accounts from within Salesforce is as easy as hitting the Download button. Try it now for free.

I already have a Key Account Management/Sales methodology in place. Why would I need DemandFarm?/ Can DemandFarm integrate with our methodology?

The challenge with methodologies is institutionalizing them quickly and sustainably. Whether an external consultant provides you with a methodology or Sales Leadership custom designs a methodology for your organization- rolling it out effectively, getting people to use it regularly and sustain its usage over time – even in the face of attrition- is the big challenge. DemandFarm can integrate with any sales methodology you have in place and quickly and sustainable institutionalize it across the team, for optimal returns on your investments. Even with attrition, the DemandFarm system ensures that no intel is lost and that new managers can quickly and effectively onboard.

DemandFarm is methodology agnostic– it can be integrated with any standard or custom-made Sales Methodology. If you don’t have one, the DemandFarm FarMing Engine® will institutionalize one for you based on your requirements.

Been there and done that..lets talk about adoption and post-deployment success

We tried another software to automate Key Account Management - our managers didn’t take to it. Why should we try DemandFarm?

DemandFarm is not just a sales automation tool. It is a technology that enables Key Account Teams with tools, insights and a platform for collaboration.

Adoption of software or technology remains a key challenge in Sales driven organizations. We understand that each Key Account Manager has his or her own unique style of relationship management, and in fact, that is the very soul of Key Account Management success. Most software or technology solutions ask a lot of their users- be it for data entry, interpreting insights or sharing reports. They take up more time that they create. That is where DemandFarm is different. We spend hours immersed in the life of Key Account Professionals- to understand their barriers and challenges at work – and build those insights into DemandFarm. That’s what makes DemandFarm easy, user-friendly and most importantly, designed to make the life of the Key Account Managers easier and more productive.

DemandFarm reduces the time Key Account Managers spend on tasks – be it data formatting or collating, generating reports, clarifying to leadership or getting buy-in across stakeholders.
DemandFarm is also intelligent – it helps Account Managers leverage intel to make strategic choices and decisions and grow the business exponentially. It is practical and designed to seamlessly manage the complexities of Global Key Accounts.

In short, it enables Account Managers, provides them a platform for collaboration, and institutionalizes the core processes, so everyone is on the same page. It is technology to help KAMs win. And that is why they are happier using it. But it’s best if you try it yourself. Take a test drive with our free trial offer today!

What if our Key Account Managers don’t find this useful once deployed?

DemandFarm is an easy to deploy, on the cloud SaaS technology. It is as easy to un-deploy us as it is to deploy us! In the totally unlikely event that your Account Managers don’t find DemandFarm awesome, all you have to do, is drop your subscription. You still get and own all your data, files and reports, no questions asked.

How can we train our managers to use DemandFarm most effectively?

DemandFarm’s one of a kind ‘Customer Success team’ kicks into action the moment you deploy the technology. They will work closely with your users to maximise adoption, optimize performance and productivity. The built-in reminders, prompts and refreshers will also ensure constant refreshment of usage tips and tricks. We mean it when we say its technology to help you win.

Hmm…I’d like to get to know you a little better….

What is DemandFarm?

DemandFarm technology transforms the way B2B Marketers manage and grow their most strategic customers. DemandFarm is an easy-to-use cloud technology native to Salesforce, that can adapt to any Key Account Management (sales) methodology. It addresses the unique challenges [of process, insights and follow-through] faced by B2B Companies [that deliver complex, large-scale, high-value solutions to their Strategic Accounts].

DemandFarm addresses your biggest Key Account Management challenges.

Limited visibility of Client plans, goals and opportunities?
Data management plagued by collation and formatting challenges?
Account Planning not proactive and future focused enough?
Losing out on critical intel due to people dynamics and process gaps?
Key Accounts profitability and growth too slow for comfort?

How does it work?

DemandFarm enables the people and institutionalizes the processes that drive Key Account management and growth.

The customer-centric tools, insights, and platform for collaboration enable stakeholders to spot and leverage every opportunity for value creation and growth.

The proprietary FarMing Engine® delivers the systematic [analysis, planning, tracking, measuring, reviewing and governance] processes to win with Strategic Accounts.

Who can/ should use DemandFarm?

DemandFarm specifically addresses the challenges faced by companies who serve large complex B2B Accounts or Clients classified as Strategic Accounts or Key Accounts.

Typically, the solutions offered are complex and high value. The Client relationships are long-term engagements. You should consider technology that not only enables the people who drive the business but also is able to quickly and sustainably institutionalize the core Key Account management processes across the teams.

DemandFarm is ideal for you if:

Your major revenues come from Key Accounts, but you still manage them with CRM
You aim to make Key Account engagements deeper and wider every year
You want to grow Key Account revenues without new software or methodology investments
You want to save time and remain competitive when Key Account Managers leave
Standardising Account Management processes and methodology has been a challenge

What is Farming and Mining of Key Accounts? How is it different from Strategic Account Management?

Key Accounts need more than management- they need to be nurtured, mined and harvested over time. Not all opportunities fructify in the short term. Relationships need to be developed and nurtured over time; people movements need to be leveraged for new opportunities, etc. DemandFarm is able to qualify the quantifiables and quantify the qualifiable in a way that Account managers can invest their time, effort and resources in the right direction, leverage the right relationships, mobilize the right stakeholders to build deeper and wider client engagements across the global expanse of its business. The Farming and Mining meter give a clear picture on the potential to do that as well as actionable insights to make it happen. We call this Account Farming.

What do you mean by unlocking the true business potential of my Key Accounts?

Key Accounts are like endless reservoirs of untapped potential. However, they are such complex entities that to make the connections that lead to discovering opportunity is a hard task indeed. An enabling technology like DemandFarm that’s designed to manage the complexities and join the dots between a vast set of intelligence points reveals every opportunity for value creation and growth and provides the strategic insights for timely action.

What about the impact on our performance and outcomes?

How can complex global accounts be better managed with DemandFarm?

With so many entities and buying units across functions, verticals, and geographies, Global Key Accounts are best managed with an enabling technology like DemandFarm. Key Accounts need deeper analysis, better planning and reliable governance and CRM is just not equipped to handle that level of complexity. With DemandFarm, you get the big picture on these vast global Accounts with all their many buying units and entities, as well as the small details on every aspect of every microcosm, so you never miss opportunities for value creation, relationship building or growth.

How will reporting, and collaboration improve with DemandFarm?

DemandFarm not only enables easy generation of reports but also exporting and sharing at a click in real time. There are version control and real-time access for all stakeholders around the world. But more importantly DemandFarm lets Managers plan, assign accountability and clearly state action expected, so everyone in the team is on the same page. The right people take the right action at the right time, so no opportunity for growth or value creation is missed. DemandFarm is an easy to deploy, on the cloud SaaS technology. It is as easy to un-deploy us as it is to deploy us! In the totally unlikely event that your Account Managers don’t find DemandFarm awesome, all you have to do is drop your subscription. You still get and own all your data, files, and reports, no questions asked.

How will DemandFarm help with Data Management? Will DemandFarm require Key Account Managers to fill out a lot of data fields and forms?

Account Managers need to collate and format reams of data from various sources in order to build annual plans, drive strategic insights and generate reports for leadership.

Sales Ops is accountable for delivering actionable strategic insights based on effective Key Account Data management.

For both, Key Account data management can be challenging because of Key Account complexities

Global organizations; complex relationship, functional and reporting networks
Connecting data over longer time frames and larger sets of buying units
Collating, analyzing, interpreting and sharing data stored in multiple formats, in multiple locations and devices, and often several versions
The need for real-time analysis of the right data sets to turn data into actionable insights
Sharing the right intel at the right time with multiple stakeholders with access-control
Ad-hoc reporting requirements of leadership and ongoing requirements of all other teams.

DemandFarm helps by:

Leveraging existing CRM data to populate the analytics and generate strategic insights – no more form filling or data entry
Collate all the data across silos into a single format and store it centrally – no more ppts, excels and docs to wade through
Enable one-click, real-time report generation, exporting and sharing

Read more on effortless data management in our ebook ‘When data overwhelms’. Download here.

What impact will DemandFarm have on my Annual Planning process?

Our work with Key Account teams across verticals consistently shows us that Annual Account Planning time is the biggest challenge and worry for Account Managers. Mainly because it involves collation of data from multiple sources (powerpoints, excel sheets, documents, even emails!), from various locations (laptops, mobile devices, inboxes, folders, etc.) and making sense of it all in order to come up with actionable insights for the annual plan. That’s not even counting the multiple versions of each file that needs attention!

However, we also know that Annual Account Planning is the single most strategic activity that Managers do in the year. It boosts growth and success with key accounts upwards of 6 to 10% annually.

With DemandFarm, Annual Account Planning is pain-free, productive and strategic. It is the heart of DemandFarm. And it will keep you busy – but in a good way. And most important, it’s all happening inside your CRM – so the following year, you don’t have to scout around and collate data from multiple sources – it’s already inside your CRM – managed, tracked and governed by DemandFarm.

DemandFarm’s Account Planning module draws most of the data from Salesforce or your existing CRM so you can focus on planning for the future.
All the Account Plan-related documents in one place- no more data silos in Excel/PPT/Word etc.

Spend time on strategic planning and collaboration, not documentation and data collation.

One last thing…tell me about accessibility, security and integration

Is there a mobile app for DemandFarm?

Yes- DemandFarm is a SaaS Service based on the cloud. If you are on SalesForce, your team can login through Salesforce on any device, and access everything securely in real time.

How secure is my data on DemandFarm?

DemandFarm is on the Cloud and can be accessed through your Salesforce or CRM login. All data security and access control protocols are therefore already built-in.

Can DemandFarm be integrated with any CRM system and any methodology?

Absolutely