Purpose:
Too often, interfacing with accounts is unpredictable and only organized around replacement of current technology or a list items for purchase. Contrary to the traditional approach, account journeys view the customers on a lifecycle that we seek to move them along as they achieve greater success, thereby making you a more integral part of their business. A properly-structured account journey allows you to stay relevant in between buying cycles and operate Above the Line of Safety SM, while driving integrated solutions in the account, and pulling through the products and services that have commoditized.
Benefits: In effectively driving account journeys, you can:
- Act as a true advisor and problem solver in an account,
- Grow revenue and margin within an account, and
- Create a more predictable revenue plan for accounts.
Critical Success Factors:
Crafting an account journey requires the interplay of offer and portfolio owners, professional service experts, and account-level personnel. Companies are rarely accustomed to cross-organizational initiatives, but driving account journeys requires you to work accounts and segments with cross-functional teams. It also demands a structured method of developing, viewing, and managing the account journey map (i.e., account plan).
Tools:
Account Journeys, Account Lifecycles, Customer Management Model, Account Management Skillset, Stakeholder Matrix, Communication Event Plan