From my 25+ years of working with Key Accounts in fast-paced B2B industries, I’ve learned a fundamental truth: receiving RFPs from your clients and winning deals are merely surface-level indicators.
They don’t tell you whether your business is secure or whether you’re considered a business partner rather than just a supplier.
Today’s business landscape is more complex and competitive. Even your most loyal Key Accounts are constantly evaluating alternatives. Their expectations are evolving, and their decision-making processes are more demanding than ever.
Your competition is not in the waiting mode either. They are active eon the same accounts.
The fastest way to lose a Key Account?
Act like the relationship is guaranteed and remaining stuck in a transactional supplier-client dynamic.
If you want a clearer picture of your position within your Key Account, here are 5 essential questions I recommend you to ask your KAM today:
1️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁?
Have we mapped key stakeholders across functions and levels? When was the last time we expanded our network within the account?
2️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁?
Are we present all year round? Staying top-of-mind requires consistent, value-driven interactions.
True story: showing up weeks several weeks before contract renewal to discover the stakeholders have changed.
3️⃣ 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴?
Are our Key Accounts aware of our entire portfolio or just a fraction? Missing opportunities to add value means leaving revenue on the table.
4️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁?
Has it grown or declined? Do we even know it? Who else are they buying from, and how do we compare?
5️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆?
Is there a concrete plan in place? Is it well-defined, shared internally, challenged, and consistently executed?
𝗔 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲. It’s not about passively responding to RFPs. It’s about owning the relationship, delivering value, and driving mutual growth.
If the answers to these questions aren’t as strong as you’d like, it’s time for a conversation.
