ABSTRACT
The key capabilities of strategic account managers (SAMs) will be to drive the value creation process effectively. The core of the strategic account management initiative is the first phase of creating value for the customer. The key to a strategic account management initiative is managing critical customer relationships and also having an Executive Sponsor at the customer and an Executive Sponsor in one's company. The key is not to have a price discussion. The key is not to have a value discussion. The key is to have a high-level business discussion. Price to value is only a consequence of the business discussion, and the creation of value has to come from solving business issues and business problems. Value creation requires the ability to interpret weak signals. Value creation will come at the intersections of things, intersections of technology, intersections of the customer’s issues, whatever they are.
