To find a suitable key account manager, we recommend paying attention to specialized online job search platforms. Usually, there are about 15 responses to one published KAM vacancy, so you will have the opportunity to choose the most suitable specialist.
When evaluating a candidate's resume for the position of key account manager, pay attention to their experience, understanding of the market, and achieved KPIs. This will help you quickly weed out unsuitable candidates. Consider who the candidate considered a key client at their previous place of work - different companies may have their own definition based on the cost of products and production volumes.
Search and interview with a key account manager
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When looking for a qualified key account canada mobile number manager, remember that experienced specialists know their worth. If the working conditions do not meet expectations, they can leave the company, taking with them the established client base.
Another option for a company could be to train its own employee. You can choose a promising specialist from the staff and develop his skills until he is ready for the role of KAM. Of course, hiring an experienced manager is a faster way, but it is associated with certain risks. Training your own employee has its own difficulties: it will take time and financial investment, and there are no guarantees that he will be able to fully meet your expectations.
When choosing a key account manager, pay attention to personal qualities, not just experience and skills. Look for candidates who are open to cooperation and strive for professional development.
Here is a sample list of questions to help you evaluate a candidate:
Share your experience working with key clients.
How did you build long-term relationships with clients and improve the quality of service?
Describe your approach to work if you have several key clients.
Have there been cases where a customer was dissatisfied with the product? How did you deal with it?
What CRM systems have you worked with?
Tell us about a time when you had to resolve a conflict situation with a key client.
How do you identify the needs and motivations of the buyer to build a personalized approach?
What strategies have you used to increase your number of key clients?
Tell us about your experience of teamwork and interaction with other departments.
How do you work with customer feedback to improve product quality?
Describe your most challenging work situation and how you resolved it.
What knowledge and skills have you acquired to improve the effectiveness of your interactions with clients?
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Key account manager management
Working with VIP clients is always a high responsibility. Mistakes in this area are very expensive: the company loses money and market positions. It is important to remember that KAM works with people who have power, resources and influence. Therefore, an individual approach is simply necessary here. Given these factors, special requirements are imposed on the key account manager. He must quickly achieve a high level of professionalism and be able to act outside the box.
Each new VIP client or opinion leader is like a new project, where we initially know little about the needs and characteristics of the partner. Therefore, it is important to establish close interaction with the KAM and together with him clearly define the goals of the project, develop a detailed action plan.
As your relationship with a VIP or influencer develops, you should gradually give the specialist more autonomy. Continue to discuss tasks, goals, and budgets with them, but allow them to make decisions within the agreed boundaries.
Key account manager management
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Setting strict standards for the number of visits for a key account manager is ineffective. Important clients and opinion leaders are very busy people, they plan their own schedules, and their readiness for a meeting depends on how important this meeting is for them. Moreover, some issues are resolved not at official meetings, but in a more informal setting. The more serious the topic, the less formal the format of communication can be. Instead of imposing templates, it is important to clearly define the framework for interaction with such clients.
Managers often ask: "What to do if the KAM is ineffective, is not familiar with VIP clients, and they do not know him? Maybe we should set standards for visits, let him work like everyone else?" If the key account manager cannot or does not want to fulfill his duties, he should be let go. There is no point in turning him into an ordinary sales manager, while keeping the title of the job. This is economically unprofitable. After all, then the manager himself will have to build relationships with key clients.
An ineffective employee is always a manager's mistake, it is the manager who is responsible for all the work and all the results. If the resource is not suitable, it must be replaced. Everything else is just an attempt to justify oneself.