Toward a Customer-Centric Strategy Implementation Model

2013 ◽  
pp. 476-497
Author(s):  
Niksa Alfirevic ◽  
Nikola Draskovic ◽  
Jurica Pavicic
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Strategy Implementation ◽  
Business Markets ◽  
Implementation Model ◽  
Account Management ◽  
Customer Care ◽  
Key Account ◽  
Packaging Industry ◽  
Marketing Information ◽  
Business To Business

This chapter presents a model of customer-centric strategy implementation based on best practices developed by Vetropack, one of the leading companies in the European glass packaging industry. The company developed its own mix of customer-centric marketing strategies, which are implemented on various organizational levels and include processes such as quality assurance, key account management, customer care, business partnering, and a marketing information system. Although the model developed and case presented are based on some industry specific features, the overall approach could be used as a benchmark for different industries and companies, especially those active in business-to-business markets. As an outcome, combining the theoretical framework and best practice findings, we propose a new approach to customer-centric strategy, which unifies internal and external organizational learning.

Managerial implications of research on inter-organizational interfaces

IMP Journal ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Björn S. Ivens ◽  
Catherine PARDO
Keyword(s):  
Academic Research ◽  
Business Markets ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Account Management ◽  
Key Account ◽  
Key Word ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Specific Concept ◽  
Business To Business ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify what managerial implications research related to inter-organizational interfaces has been produced in marketing. For this aim, the authors focus on a specific concept implemented in many firms that operate on business-to-business markets, which is key account management (KAM). Design/methodology/approach – The authors used the Ebsco Database entering “account management” as a key word in the title row. The search provided 51 papers to which the authors added four MSI reports written by Moriarty and Shapiro between 1980 and 1984. The authors then identified such keywords as “managers”, “practitioners”, “marketers”, “managerial”, “business”, and their variations as well as normative words such as “should”, “must”, etc. in order to identify managerial implications. Findings – Four main findings are provided: a clear managerial purpose is affirmed by KAM academic works whether as a central “purpose” of the works or as “implications”; these managerial implications may display different forms (dimensions to be considered, consequences to anticipate, advices); though the managerial scope of KAM works is clearly visible, the sophistication of managerial recommendations remains … limited; the identification of who is exactly “the manager” targeted by the implications remains vague. Research limitations/implications – The authors discuss the notion of managerial relevance of academic research. Practical/implications – The authors explore sources for practices (whether they are the ones of scholars or managers) that could help “spelling out more effectively the managerial implications. Originality/value – To the knowledge this is the first work that reviews so precisely how academic articles address to the managerial audience on a precise issue. Furthermore, the authors believe that KAM is an interesting and appropriate field for such a review because it is widely implemented on business markets.

Processual issues in key account management: underpinning the customer‐facing organisation

1999 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 328-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Millman ◽  
Kevin Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Future Research ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Major Focus ◽  
Key Account Management ◽  
Business Markets ◽  
Account Management ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
Key Account ◽  
Business To Business ◽  
Different Sources

Addresses the question of how to make key account management processes in industrial and business‐to‐business markets more customer focused. Considers the processual issues emerging from recent empirical research and looks at a range of factors: cultural; organisational; and attitudinal; which have been found to affect the benefits gained from attempting to implement KAM processes. Points are drawn from a number of different sources, such as: formal research projects, studying particular buyer/seller dyads, broader industry surveys, and from observations made during KAM workshops and consultancy projects. They are presented as a guide to those issues that will be the major focus of future research.

scholarly journals Within-Seller and Buyer–Seller Network Structures and Key Account Profitability

2018 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aditya Gupta ◽  
Alok Kumar ◽  
Rajdeep Grewal ◽  
Gary L. Lilien
Keyword(s):  
Customer Relationships ◽  
Network Density ◽  
Similar Function ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Account Management ◽  
Complementary Role ◽  
Key Account ◽  
Interfirm Network ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Business To Business

In business-to-business (B2B) markets, the success of key account management (KAM) teams depends on how they are structured and how they handle customer relationships. The authors conceptualize relationships among selling team members as a within-seller (intrafirm) network and the relationships between selling team members and buyer representatives as a buyer–seller (interfirm) network. Drawing on both structural (buyer–seller density, within-seller density, and within-seller centralization) and functional (buyer–seller similar function ties and within-seller cross-functional ties) composition attributes of these networks, the authors examine how the interplay between these networks drives seller account profitability. Using data from 207 key account managers across B2B industries, the authors uncover a nuanced pattern of interplay across the two networks. Densities in the two networks are mutually substitutive, but density in the buyer–seller networks and centralization in the within-seller networks serve complementary roles. Cross-function ties in the within-seller network serve a complementary role too, but only in relation to similar function ties in the buyer–seller network. In contrast, within-seller centralization supports both network density and similar function ties in the buyer–seller network and, thus, emerges as a valuable KAM team characteristic. These findings suggest multiple ways for firms to align interfirm and intrafirm KAM networks to improve account profitability.

Crisis communication in key account relationships

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 234-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satu Nätti ◽  
Suvi Rahkolin ◽  
Saila Saraniemi
Keyword(s):  
Crisis Communication ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Account Management ◽  
Key Account ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Business To Business ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – A deliberate and planned crisis communication strategy is an important part of key account management. The purpose of this paper is to draw links between key account managers (KAM) and crisis communication and explore the elements critical to crisis communication in key account relationships. Design/methodology/approach – The approach is qualitative. Data were gathered from people experienced in crisis communication and responsible for strategic accounts. The paper analysed managers’ stories of crisis processes and related communication in relationships. Findings – Successful crisis communication requires an open and active crisis communicator, one willing to solve problems, and also the company being a partner worth trusting and the retention of the relationship being worthwhile for the customer. Research limitations/implications – The present study focuses on the managerial view, and therefore a dyadic approach is suggested for future studies. Practical implications – The role of the KAM as a crisis communicator and primary identifier of the crisis is emphasized. Originality/value – Existing crisis communication discussions have been very media focused. This study focuses on the key account relationship and the related crisis communication. In addition, although earlier studies examine the influences of crises on business relationships (e.g. Salo et al., 2009; Thiessen and Ingenhoff, 2010; Tähtinen and Vaaland, 2006), research on crisis communication in business-to-business key account relationships is still scarce. The results will help to understand the characteristics of crisis communication in key account relationships and enhance communication with strategic accounts.

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