I need the people touching my key account to pull in the same direction.

I need the people touching my key account to pull in the same direction.

Your key account depends on sales, delivery, finance, contracts and maybe sub vendors, and few of them report to you.

Five questions to see if your team can do this job today:

1. Does your key account manager (KAM) know what each team member values and how they're measured?
2. Could everyone on the account team say what you're trying to achieve this year?
3. Does the account have an executive sponsor inside your own company?
4. Does the team meet regularly so everyone knows how to contribute?
5. Can your team work through disagreements between functions without escalating?

Two or more no's, and your KAM may be carrying more of this account alone than they should.

We became the #1 supplier among 80 when we got our internal account community heading in the same direction. Before, they were well-meaning mercenaries. Later, they became strong patriots serving a bigger purpose.

Once we assembled the team and set a cadence for communicating objectives and updates, we gave them an operating system that showed the work we needed to accomplish together in real time. It showed everyone our progress (where we stood in the account), our strategy (what we wanted to accomplish each quarter) and our monthly plan (how we would execute).

The system gave them visibility into the strategic objectives they could help plan and execute, and we encouraged them to bring ideas on how to accomplish them. That gave every action real meaning and purpose, because it was tied to something greater than just the motion. We regularly shared real-time customer feedback, success stories and new opportunities for growth.

Lastly, we made sure team members were included in customer meetings, especially the quarterly business reviews (QBRs). The team helped me build the content. We took time to introduce our top performers to key stakeholders at the customer, and our team got to tell their stories and share how we helped the customer win in their markets.

People pull together when they can see the goal and their part in it. Your team can share the account's progress, strategy and plan with everyone who touches it.

Our system, the Vitality Index, gives your key account teams the strategy and the plan, and shows them what to execute across 21 growth drivers, including account team collaboration, internal executive buy-in and third-party collaboration. It shows where they stand today, the work it takes to level up, and how to do it, until they reach a vital partnership that lasts.

Who on your team has never been in a meeting with your largest customer?

We built a free, 4-minute Key Account Risk Assessment. It gives you a risk score for your key accounts across team alignment, account planning, account transitions, and visibility. Link in the comments.