Description
Modules
Client Contact Management
Client Contact Management (CCM) covers all the processes & protocols needed to establish key personal contacts throughout the client organisation.
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.
You will also need to identify the key players at every level which must include the lower levels as these will inevitably contain an eventual rising star or two, or someone who’s close to someone senior, or someone who mixes in important circles because they’re good at sport or they’re just very good socially.
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.
Total Checks & Tips: 65
“client contact management is the vehicle for developing key business relationships at every level throughout the client organisation”
Relationship Management
Relationship Management focusses on developing comprehensive, effective & consistent business relationships throughout the client organisation, covering client contact, people, work, entertainment & issues.
This module provides the processes & protocols which are essential in the development of strong business relationships and should be followed by anyone representing your company who is engaging at any level in the client organisation. There can be no exceptions and applies equally to both permanent staff and any third parties your company may be using.
There are a multitude of reasons for engaging with clients and colleagues (personal introductions, fact-finding, fulfilling obligations, progress reviews, business & people issues, complaints, sales opportunities & negotiation, contractual, entertainment/hospitality, social, etc., etc.).
Once you have made that initial contact with any client manager or member of staff at any level, a business relationship needs to be developed. The amount of time and effort required will gradually become apparent as you find out more and more about the individual, where they sit in the organisation and their value in terms of information and potential future business.
Total Checks & tips: 73
“once you’ve mastered the art of relationship management you’ll achieve outstanding results”
Personal Appearance & Manner
Personal Appearance & Manner provides the essential checks needed to ensure positive first impressions & ongoing client co-operation.
A professional personal appearance and engaging manner are crucially important regarding both individual and company image.
As first impressions are so important, anyone representing your company who meets any level of client representative or visits a client site must be made aware of the requirements given in this module, no matter how senior they may be.
Although some of the content may seem prescriptive, it is extremely important regarding client impressions and their attitude towards you and your colleagues. However, some colleagues or third parties may find them tedious – no matter, that’s the way it’s got to be.
Remember, in the eyes of your client, everyone who represents your company (including contractors, consultants, any other third parties) is your company and everything it stands for including the quality of people & deliverables, openness & fairness and integrity & pride. The importance of how well your colleagues are regarded cannot be overstated.
Total Checks & Tips: 17
“if you stand out in the client environment it must be for the right reasons”
Personal Conduct & Practice
Personal Conduct & Practice addresses the need to ensure ongoing client commitment, teamwork & the best business outcomes and includes confidentiality, issues & opportunities.
Together with a professional personal appearance and engaging manner, exemplary personal conduct and sound working practice by everyone who represents your company is crucially important regarding both individual and company image.
Again, some content may seem prescriptive but is extremely important regarding client impressions and the attitude towards you and your colleagues. As with personal appearance & manner, some colleagues and/or third parties may find certain points tedious – no matter, they’re mandatory.
Total Checks & Tips: 44
“strive for professionalism at all times and at all levels, one slip-up can be disastrous”
Generic Client Interface
Generic Client Interface focusses on the best practice for engaging with clients, identifying sales opportunities & threats to future business, communication & foreseeing potential problem areas.
Because some modules are closely linked to very similar aspects of the ‘client interface’, and inevitably overlap, various suggested protocols have been brought together in this module to avoid unnecessary duplication. This particularly applies to client contact management, relationship management, personal appearance & manner and personal conduct & practice.
Although the generic client interface is primarily a fundamental process for all account managers and senior colleagues, anyone representing the supplier who has direct contact with the client (at any level) must be aware of the content and then comply to ensure continuity.
Total Checks & Tips: 59
“be prepared for opportunities & threats anytime, anywhere – think laterally, creatively & ‘outside the box’ whenever seeking opportunities or solutions, or both”
Personal Performance & Objectives
Personal Performance & Objectives covers the essential need for anyone engaging with clients to be absolutely clear on what is expected of them regarding knowledge, professionalism & output.
Subject areas include personal objectives, testing knowledge, briefings, third parties & induction.
This is ASPIRE’s smallest module but one of the most important!
Why? – because it’s assumed that your company will already be using a process for reviewing individual personnel so further guidelines are not necessary regarding this process.
However, it is absolutely crucial that, in addition to ‘delivery’ responsibilities, specific areas relating to account management & development are incorporated into every individual’s objectives (no matter what level they are), monitored and reviewed at the prescribed frequency.
Total Checks & Tips: 17
“just one oversight could result in a missed sales opportunity, client complaint or much worse”
