How do you manage organisational change with Strategic Account Management (SAM)?
Introducing a SAM program into your organisation must be treated as a major change initiative. Treating the project as purely a sales project is setting yourselves up for failure.
A SAM program takes time to get results and is an initiative to change organisational culture.
Read MoreAs the world reels at the second big shock in 2016, Donald Trump elected as President of the USA, after the UK voted for Brexit. What can we learn about persuasion? So many polls, so many authorities got both events wrong.
We might be tempted to believe as Richard Thaler, Professor of Behavioural Science & Economics said after Trump won, ”This is …a defeat for science and expertise.” No, this is not a defeat for logic. Logic could never win; this is a win for emotion.
Read MoreMany companies discover their largest accounts are transactional. They generate high revenues; however, place minimal value on the relationship and minimal value on your company's products and services. They are not interested in developing a strategic relationship with your executive team and if they do it is only to discuss getting reduced prices.
So, how should you best handle these accounts?
Read MoreA headline about the US presidential debate claimed Hillary Clinton unties the Gordian Knot (ABC news online 27 September 2016). In this case, the Gordian Knot is
"... the growing realisation that Mr Trump continues to rise no matter what serial atrocities or outrages he commits ..."
The article talks of Mrs Clinton unpicking the knot during the debate. In plain language, she discredited Mr Trump. The new 2016 book by influence guru Robert Cialdini helps us understand why Hillary was so successful.
Read MoreWhen using the image as an illustration, the presenter assigns meaning to the image, as discussed in our previous blog The Skilful Use of Images. In contrast, when using the ‘interactive image’ method the audience assigns a meaning to an image. There are three methods of the interactive approach:
1. Presenter’s image – Audience’s meaning
2. Audience’s image – Audience’s meaning
3. Common image – Audience’s meaning
Read MoreIn the first blog of this series, we reviewed how to get a deal for Brexit and understood that the top eight countries by population are critical: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Netherlands and Belgium. First to prevent a blocking coalition and second to create a winning coalition of countries. In the second blog, we explained how to prepare for these complex negotiations. In this third blog, we will examine roles when negotiating as a team. Then we will look at how to negotiate in multi-party negotiations.
Read MoreYou’re looking to create the perfect customer experience, so you already have a customer survey, what company doesn’t these days? It may even be a regular annual customer survey, because you understand the importance of knowing what your customers think in this highly competitive, turbulent business world.
A recent article by McKinsey Quarterly delved into the importance of a customer feeling as though the service has been personalised for their needs alone.
Read MoreIn the previous blog, we completed the vital step of understanding the process of decision-making. Now we will examine how to prepare for these complex negotiations.
Given the number of countries, it is likely that coalitions of countries will form. Dealing with coalitions requires special skills. But according to Peter Block, one of the most important skills is to say no when you mean no. In other words, a vital part of preparation is to identify what you will not do.
Read MoreIn a previous blog, we explained some of the reasons the Brexit negotiations are so difficult.
Imagine for a moment, that you have been given the job of leading the negotiations. How would you prepare? Let's start at the end. Assuming we have a deal, who has to approve it?
Read MoreSo, the UK has voted for Brexit. What's next? Negotiating the exit. What does this involve? Part of this is Article 50, where the UK has to give notice it's leaving. There's good news and bad news about Article 50. The good news is it's only 300 words and the bad news is it's only 300 words. Why both good news and bad news?
Read MoreProblem: Need to improve business results. and have already identified that your people do not have the required skills.
Solution: Find appropriate course and send people on the appropriate course.
Will just sending your people on a course be enough to improve your business results?
Read MoreOne of the toughest negotiations is when one side wins and the other side loses. For example, a mining company wants to mine in a forest area and a local government wants to stop the mine because they want to preserve the forest. If one side wins, the other loses.
This is so difficult because each side brings a position and then spends all their energy defending their position or attacking the other side's position.
In the toughest negotiations, we need to look beyond positions and explore interests.
Read MoreWhen images are used skillfully, they can increase interest and participation, excite creativity, stir emotions and memories, provoke questions and uncover common ideas. There are two approaches to using images in presentations: the image as illustration and the interactive image. In this blog, we will discuss the image as an illustration.
Read MoreProcurement departments are perceived as only being focused on reducing prices, so many suppliers will avoid procurement where they can. Instead focusing their energy on building relationships and providing value for business unit contacts. So, suppliers only deal with procurement when they are forced to.
But is this too big a risk, how much influence do procurement have in your industry and how quickly is this influence growing?
Read MoreColour is a powerful tool that can enhance any presentation. Research shows that colours can evoke an emotional response and make your message more memorable and persuasive. However the psychological impact of colour can also ruin your persuasive message, so think carefully about your choice of colour.
Read MoreThis blog follows on from previous blogs on organisations that are too good to change. In this link to a 13 minute TED video, Alison Sanders discusses the art and science of tracking trends. Apart from some fascinating trends, she discusses the importance of timing your action. Most organisations are too late because they do not prepare soon enough for the dramatic impact.
Read MoreOne of the world's experts on this topic is Gene Zelazny, Director of Visual Communications for McKinsey and Company. Just pause for a minute and consider that one of the world's top management consultancies pays someone to be the Director of Visual Communications. McKinsey specialised in fact-based analysis, so why pay attention to visual communication? Because, it takes more than logic to persuade an audience to act. The audience must understand, agree and remember. Visuals help people process the message faster and are more persuasive than words.
Read MoreWith fewer customers generating more of our revenue, we need to get better at managing our strategic relationships. Whether we call this Strategic Account Management or Key Account Management, we must get better at managing the customers we can’t afford to lose.
There is good news and bad news about managing these strategic relationships.
Read MoreOver the last couple of years, we have seen several organisations that are too good to change. But, how can organisations possibly be too good to change?
The answer is simple: they can deliver better profits this year doing almost exactly what they have always done.
Before you get too confident consider that a company's fall from grace can frequently be traced back to its time of greatest achievement!
Read MoreImagine the phone rings, a voice says we have kidnapped Jill and you need to pay $500,000 in 24 hours to get her back alive. The phone goes dead, what should you say next time the phone rings?
Before we answer the question, let’s consider ...
Read More
