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From selling to managing strategic customers - a competency analysis.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: From selling to managing strategic customers - a competency analysis.
Authors: Lacoste, Sylvie
Source: Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management; Mar2018, Vol. 38 Issue 1, p92-122, 31p
Subject Terms: CUSTOMER service management, BUSINESS planning, SALES management, SALES force management, ORGANIZATIONAL goals, STRATEGIC planning, SALES culture, ECONOMICS
Abstract: An increasing number of companies select strategic customers, who are then treated differently from standard customers. Thus, the customer-facing function has been divided into two separate functions: traditional selling and strategic account management. This article seeks to provide a comprehensive overview that compares the competencies of salespeople with the competencies of strategic account managers. The article's objective is to highlight a competency path that can lead salespeople to transition successfully into strategic account managers. Leveraging the two distinct competency classifications, we identify the key skills that traditional salespeople must be trained in or "unlearn" to successfully transition. From a theoretical perspective, this article bridges the gap between the literature on sales and the literature on strategic account management and pinpoints the major differences between those two customer-facing dimensions. From a managerial perspective, the article helps practitioners draw a competency grid to assess both salespeople's ability to succeed in their role transition and the training required to support this transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Complementary Index
Description
Abstract:An increasing number of companies select strategic customers, who are then treated differently from standard customers. Thus, the customer-facing function has been divided into two separate functions: traditional selling and strategic account management. This article seeks to provide a comprehensive overview that compares the competencies of salespeople with the competencies of strategic account managers. The article's objective is to highlight a competency path that can lead salespeople to transition successfully into strategic account managers. Leveraging the two distinct competency classifications, we identify the key skills that traditional salespeople must be trained in or "unlearn" to successfully transition. From a theoretical perspective, this article bridges the gap between the literature on sales and the literature on strategic account management and pinpoints the major differences between those two customer-facing dimensions. From a managerial perspective, the article helps practitioners draw a competency grid to assess both salespeople's ability to succeed in their role transition and the training required to support this transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:08853134
DOI:10.1080/08853134.2018.1426991