In a company that spans geographies and multiple divisions, there is often ambiguity in account ownership. Where there is ambiguity there is confusion, and frequently the customer will be on the receiving end of a seemingly disorganized service, leading to frustration and dissatisfaction on both sides. There needs to be clear coordination of responsibilities for managing accounts. Where such an exercise has been undertaken we have seen the following benefits:

• A common language has been established to categorize different account types and the roles and responsibilities of account owners, thus leading to less internal and external confusion.

• More effective account planning and execution.

• Customer requirements can be forecast and actively provided for.

• Improved focus on target and key clients, leading to higher revenue per account manager.

• Increased opportunities for cross-selling (leading to increased sales per customer).

• Improved management of account management performance, improving the productivity of account managers.

• Improved understanding of account management competencies, ensuring that account managers are more effective, leading to greater customer satisfaction, improved retention rates and increased conversion rates for new business.