CLIENT CONTACT MANAGEMENT (CCM)

Client Contact Management (CCM) is the vehicle for developing key business relationships at every level throughout the client organization.

CCM is an essential component of account management, without it the whole process will either fail completely and your company is eventually replaced by a competitor or, as a minimum, result in significant loss of revenue & profit.

Although such drastic outcomes do not happen overnight, they may appear to! This is because a supplier has not been aware of a gradually declining business climate which it could (and should) have adjusted to/addressed. In addition, vital sales opportunities will have been missed. All this because CCM was not operated properly or maybe not at all.

Client directors, managers, section heads, team leaders & staff at all levels in many, if not all, areas should be identified and visits planned over an appropriate period of time for suitable representatives from your company.

Although CCM is primarily a fundamental process for all account managers and senior staff, anyone representing the supplier who has direct contact with the client (at any level) must familiarise themselves with CCM content to ensure continuity and then subsequently update it if necessary.

Some example checks and tips are given below to give a flavour of just how important this component of account management really is.

Process

• • various client individuals at all levels and in many, if not all, areas should be identified, highlighted/colour-coded on client organisation charts and visits planned over an appropriate period of time by suitable representatives from your company. Once contacted, the individual should be highlighted/colour-coded differently on the appropriate client organisation chart. A map of client contact activity will then be gradually built up for the whole organisation and maintained indefinitely
  • you will also need to nominate a very senior sponsor from your own company (Board Member or Director). While this looks impressive and shows top level commitment, your senior person can be brought in at key times (eg. closing an order/signing a contract, putting senior client minds at rest, major problem-solving/resolution, etc.)
  • in addition to any outstanding information which may be required for the Account File, you and your colleagues should always be on the look-out for sales leads and also endorse your company’s credentials & ethos whenever possible
  • any expression of interest by the client, no matter how small, must be passed on to the relevant person in your own organisation as a matter of extreme urgency – this will invariably be the Account Manager in the first instance
  • because of these key activities, everyone representing your company should be briefed at regular intervals on your company’s sales propositions & capability, and reminded that these can be tailored to fit the client’s specific needs. They will also need to be briefed and objectives agreed before each planned contact
  • many meetings/conversations with the client will not be planned, occurring purely by chance. In view of this, you and your colleagues should always maintain a set of questions/discussion topics (tablet, mobile phone, organiser, etc.) which should be memorised as far as possible
  • these questions/discussion topics should be reviewed on a regular basis and everyone kept on their toes – so test them (unannounced tests/role play). One piece of information acquired informally in the car park, pub or corridor may prove invaluable in the longer term and result in extensive revenue/profit for your company

Practice

• • identify the key players at every level and believe me, there will be key players at the lower levels. These lower levels will inevitably contain a rising star or two, or someone who’s close to someone senior, or someone who mixes in important circles because they’re just very good socially
  • establish the hierarchies and protocols of the client organisation, particularly when working on site. Ensure all people representing your company (including associates, consultants & contractors you may be using) adhere to the protocols, working practices and disciplines of your client – there can be no exceptions to this
  • cultivate your client contacts at every level. Account managers have a double role here ie; managing & developing the Account while ‘being one of them’ (client side). Account Managers need to ‘go into role’ but not make it obvious – you must appear genuine at all times to all people. Initially, this will require much thought, time & effort but it will pay off in the long run when you naturally fall into role at the required time with the minimum of effort, producing invaluable results
  • ask different client people to explain their mission statement(s) and strategy(ies) to you. Get them to tell you about major events, progress and personal achievements since they have been working there (good & bad) – understand these fully and refer to them when appropriate, you really will impress!
  • from the outset of the business relationship, strive for a two-way knowledge transfer, invite the client contact to briefings if appropriate, hold events on their site and attend briefings & presentations given by the client wherever possible (for knowledge, relationship building & making a good impression)
  • return missed telephone calls on the same day – even if there’s nothing new to say
  • maintain contact if you don’t have this on a regular or scheduled basis, particularly if the ball is in your court and you need to get back to them on something but you still don’t have the solution/answer!
  • if a client or prospect contact is soon to transfer to another position or leave their organisation, will they be interested in your company’s services/propositions in their new role? Can you arrange another meeting now?

Click here for 60+ checks & tips

Best Practice Quote 6 of 13:

“client contact management is the vehicle for developing key business relationships at every level throughout the client organisation”

NEXT BLOG: Sales Propositions & Opportunities

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