Global Account Management

Planning for a step change

The Customer

Account Team for company’s largest global account.

The Challenge

As part of a standardization process at the client’s organization, the client had to use Siebel and TAS (Target Account Sales) account planning methodologies at the start of each year, along with some basic external training on creating compelling customer-centric value propositions. While this approach had proved useful in the past, the account team now found these tools were insufficient to support the type of solutions it was trying to sell and the longer-term business growth it was looking to achieve.

The Solution

The new approach was to think of the account as a separate P&L business unit and apply more comprehensive business strategy and planning methodologies. This involved, firstly, investing in a much richer analysis of:

  1. the ‘market’ (based on bespoke market and customer research);
  2. the core skills and assets of the organization; and
  3. the strategic options for account growth.

Secondly, creating more rigorous investment and go-to-market plans. And, thirdly, spending much more time than usual in creating deeper understanding and buy-in from a myriad of internal and external stakeholders.

The STL Advantage

STL brings together deep knowledge of the customer’s end market, an independent and realistic assessment of the skills and assets of the organisation, and expertise in implementing strategic planning and transformation initiatives. In addition STL applies its 'Mindshare' ™ collaboration approach that allows all parties to process and contribute to the business planning - in pre-preparation meetings, formal account planning workshops, and follow up internal and external communication. STL integrates as much 'soft' teambuilding/consensus building activity as 'hard' analysis and documentation to create an effective plan.

The Result

A rigorous and validated global account plan that maps a clear path to significant growth and which has the buy-in of all key internal and external stakeholders. And a team that is highly motivated to deliver with the right support to do so.