ACCOUNT PERFORMANCE REVIEWS

You’ll never achieve your business goals & targets without regular pragmatic Account Performance Reviews.

Therefore, in addition to any current contractual commitments and aspirations for the account, the frequency of internal account performance reviews will depend on the size, complexity and potential of each client.

It is also very important that the right people are present to contribute on specific areas and take responsibility for all related action points. Again, these will vary according to account size, complexity and potential but will always include the account manager and their line manager.

Sample checks and tips are given below:

Agenda

• Previous Minutes
• Previous Action Plan
• Mission Statement, Strategy & Goals
• Business Performance/Market Position (both organisations)
• Organisational & people changes (both organisations)
• Current Work, Service, People &/or Product Contracts (incl. debtors)
• Balanced Scorecard
• Sales (orders won & lost, new opportunities qualification, other current opportunities & propositions)
• Competitors
• SWOT Analysis
• Contact/Relationship Management
• Missing Information (Account File)
• Satisfaction Survey
• Issues & Complaints (both organisations) – incl. cultural, management, people, budgets/estimates/forecasts, timescales, quality & contractual)
• Hospitality/Entertainment
• Account Manager Responsibilities/Performance
• Critical Success Factors
• Risk Management
• Options & Forward Action Plan
• Close (Any Other Business, date/time of next Review)

Main Inputs

• Account Snapshot Summary
• Account File Details (incl. Client information held, meeting minutes, correspondence, contracts)
• Balanced Scorecard
• SWOT Analysis
• Client Organisation Charts
• Contact Management Plan
• Client Progress Review Minutes
• Satisfaction Survey
• Sales Opportunities/Action Plan
• Sales Propositions/Action Plan
• Marketing Plan
• Hospitality/Entertainment Plan
• Account Manager Performance
• Risk Management Analyses

Questions to Ask (under 8 headings)

• Admin
• Risk Management
• Client
• Client Contact/Relationship
• Issues
• Delivery/Performance
• Sales
• Competitors

After the Review

In addition to updating the Account File, various other areas may require careful thought, consideration and rework including SWOT analysis, balanced scorecard, personal performance & objectives, risk management and account action planning.        

Click here for 90+ checks & tips

Best Practice Quote 10 of 13

“without regular pragmatic reviews of Account Performance you cannot achieve your goals and targets”

NEXT BLOG: Satisfaction Surveys

The complete set of account management components can be found here, all of which are explicitly focused on improving supplier performance and blocking the competition.

As an introduction to these components, I’m writing a series of blogs which I hope will be of value and appropriate for the type & size of your client, prospect and target organisations:

• • What is Account Management?
  • Understanding Your Clients (& vice versa!)
  • Supplier Values, Ethos & Image
  • Supplier Account Manager
  • Client Relationship Management (CRM)
  • Client Contact Management (CCM)
  • Sales Propositions & Opportunities
  • Sales Opportunity Qualification
  • Balanced Scorecard
  • Risk Management
  • Account Performance Reviews
  • Client Satisfaction Surveys
  • SWOT Analysis

As these blogs are geared to anyone engaged in developing new business with clients &/or prospects, and for ease of context, I’ll regard all readers as account managers because everyone has the same endgame, no offence!

I really hope you, your colleagues & business associates find value in these blogs; please let me know either way. Please also get in touch if you think there might be potential for our businesses to collaborate.

ASPIRE’s MISSION 

– to enable Account Mangers & Suppliers to develop long-term revenue streams while minimising risk in all that they do

– to increase profit margins, expand people networks, develop trust, enhance market standing & boost morale/pride

ASPIRE, committed to providing practical best practice to enable you, your team, your company and your clients to exceed business expectations year-on-year

Richard Wright, Managing Director, ASPIRE Account Management™, ©Copyright 2024, All Rights Reserved