Key Account Management: The Definitive Guide; Contents; Foreword; Acknowledgements; The purpose of this book; Before you read this book!; List of figures and tables; 1 The crucial role of key account management; Introduction; 1.1 Pressures that have led to growth in customer power; 1.1.1 Summary of the pressures; 1.1.2 Rapid change; 1.1.3 Process refinement; 1.1.4 Redefining the marketplace and pleasing the customers; 1.1.5 Globalization; 1.1.6 Implications; 1.2 Why understanding relationships is so important; 1.2.1 Relationship risks; 1.2.2 Satisfactory return.

1.2.3 Implications of joint commitment1.2.4 Misconception and disappointment; 1.3 Increasing complexity of key account relationships; 1.3.1 The consolidation of customers; 1.3.2 Dual roles: the customer may be 'competitor' as well as 'client'; 1.3.3 The development of global businesses that demand global supply; 1.3.4 The accelerating pace of change, particularly as new IT reshapes markets; 1.3.5 The emphasis on strategic alliances; Summary; 2 Selecting and categorizing key customers; Introduction; 2.1 Why is choosing the right customers so important?; 2.1.1 Fulfilling corporate strategy.

2.1.2 Selecting for superior returns2.1.3 How many key accounts?; 2.2 Selection criteria; 2.2.1 Identifying customers; 2.2.2 Choosing selection criteria; 2.2.3 Applying selection criteria; 2.3 Categorizing key customers; 2.3.1 The key account selection matrix; 2.3.2 Relative business strength; 2.3.3 Rebuffs and exits; 2.3.4 Categorization versus selection: portfolios versus lists; 2.3.5 Allocating scarce resources; Summary; 3 Relationship stages; Introduction; 3.1 Understanding key relationships; 3.1.1 Why do you need to know?; 3.1.2 The hierarchy of key relationships.

3.2 Stages in key relationships3.2.1 Exploratory relationships; 3.2.2 Basic relationships; 3.2.3 Cooperative relationships; 3.2.4 Interdependent relationships; 3.2.5 Integrated relationships; 3.2.6 Disintegrating relationships; Summary; 4 Developing key relationships; Introduction; 4.1 The customer's point of view; 4.1.1 What do customers want?; 4.1.2 A deep understanding of the customer; 4.2 Developing relationships; 4.2.1 Choosing the right relationship stage; 4.2.2 Contact mapping; 4.2.3 Relationship-building strategies; 4.2.4 Building an interdependent relationship.

4.3 Managing relationships4.3.1 Multilevel relationships; 4.3.2 Avoiding relationship traps; Summary; 5 The buyer perspective; Introduction; 5.1 The purchasing context; 5.1.1 Customer drivers; 5.1.2 Cost reduction; 5.1.3 Risk reduction; 5.2 Buying company strategies; 5.2.1 Strategy independence; 5.2.2 Strategy direction matrix; 5.2.3 Supply chain integration; 5.2.4 Matching strategies; 5.2.5 Supplier delusions; 5.2.6 Trust; 5.3 Balance of power; Summary; 6 Key account profitability; Introduction; 6.1 Profitability in the context of key accounts.

6.1.1 Sustainable competitive advantage and key accounts.

""This book is crammed with distilled, practical wisdom for key account managers and their directors. Organizations claiming to practise key account management should equip everyone involved with a copy, so they really understand what they are supposed to be doing. Anything less is just old-fashioned selling."" Developing successful business-to-business relationships with more customers in highly competitive markets requires processes and skills that go beyond traditional selling activity. The very best state-of-the-art strategies are set out clearly in this book by intentionally known autho.

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Includes bibliographical references and index.

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