Global Account Management explains the significant challenges of establishing a global account strategy and guides the reader through the process of decisions and actions required to manage global accounts successfully. The book provides a thorough, workmanlike template for all businesses with global clients. Author Peter Cheverton highlights the difference between an international company operating in different markets and one that can be considered truly global. He explains that company directors need to understand whether a client has consistent needs across different countries, possesses a global operational structure, and has the ability to implement global decisions. Cheverton then details the factors critical to successful handling of a global account. The implications of making the wrong decisions in a global marketplace are enormous. Global Account Management gives readers the information and insight they need to ensure the future success of their companies.
Contents
About the author
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1 Defining ‘global’
Truly global, or just plain international?; Timing your global response — handling the ‘would-be’ globals; Taking the leap upstairs
2 The particular challenge of GAM
Organizational and structural complexity; Authority; The irrationality of senior managers (no, really); Culture; Geography and time zones
3 Innocents among wolves, and other deadly sins
4 The critical success factors — making it happen
5 Getting the big picture
Opportunity chain analysis; Business driver analysis; The shared future analysis; A postscript
6 Understanding the global buyer
The global buyer’s ambitions and purpose; Buying power — pricing and terms; Operational efficiencies — organizational structure; Supply chain management — making it happen; Supplier management — rationalization, positioning, and key/strategic suppliers; Protecting your investment; Postscript — some deadly realism
7 Understanding the customer’s decision-making process
The types of DMU; DMU analysis — the toolkit
8 Managing the global touch points
Influencing strategy; Service provision strategy; The invisible interactions
9 Getting the board on board
Champions and enablers; Leadership, empowerment and coaching; Participants
10 The global account manager — rarest of breeds?
The skills for the task; Managing teams; Coaching ; Authority; The global account manager — a sales professional?
11 Making it happen — structure and the persuasive process
Some ‘guidelines’; Making it happen — the ‘persuasive process’
12 Performance and reward
Right performance, right reward; Measuring the reward — customer profitability
13 Getting IT right
14 The global account plan
15 Harnessing the strengths of cultural diversity
Cultural preferences; What goes wrong?; What must go right?; Cultural preference — the 16 scales; Forging a competitive advantage
16 Next steps, and getting further help
Value propositions; INSIGHT Marketing and People; Further reading
Index
Overview
Global Account Management explains the significant challenges of establishing a global account strategy and guides the reader through the process of decisions and actions required to manage global accounts successfully. The book provides a thorough, workmanlike template for all businesses with global clients. Author Peter Cheverton highlights the difference between an international company operating in different markets and one that can be considered truly global. He explains that company directors need to ...