Management Development Program

Strategic Sales Management and New Age Marketing

Key Account Management

Prof. Joffi Thomas

Session Plan

Session1: July 09 (Sunday) 10:00 AM -01:00 PM

1. What factors should be considered in designing a KAM program in an organization -Corporate

Level-Key Account Management?
2. What is involved in managing a key account -Operational level Key Account Management?

Key accounts or strategic accounts are the most valuable customers and managing them is critical for a
firm’s growth. A systematic approach is required in setting up key account management systems and
managing them. The case ABB and Caterpillar offers an opportunity to analyze and understand issues
in KAM both at the corporate level and at the operational level.

Essential Prior Reading – CASE: ABB and Caterpillar: Key Account Management (A)

Do come prepared to the session after reading and analyzing the case and addressing the preparatory
questions given below:

Case Discussion- Preparatory Questions:

1. Why was Caterpillar planning to discontinue relationship with ABB?

2. Aaccording to you, what are the initiatives required to rebuild the ABB- CAT relationship to attain
business goals?
Session 2: July 16 (Sunday), 10:00AM -01:00PM

PFS was a strategic account for Infosys Technologies in 2003. The case on Infosys Technologies gives
offers a valuable opportunity to understand KAM issues in depth.

Essential Prior Reading- CASE: Infosys Technologies Ltd.: Growing Share of a Customer’s Business

Do come prepared to the session after reading and analyzing the case and addressing the preparatory
questions given below:

Case Preparatory Questions

1. What is Rahul’s responsibility with respect to the PFS account?
2. Was the engagement manager- Rahul successful in meeting PFS expectations and Infosys business
objectives?
3. What were the factors forcing Prairie Four Square (PFS) Insurance to consider “sole sourcing” compared to
its current “best of breed” IT services procurement policy?
4. What quantifiable cost savings, not specified in project contracts, has Infosys delivered to PFS during the past
five years? Calculate the monetary worth of the savings made.
5. How can Infosys persuasively sell the firm's ability to deliver a superior end-to-end solution for the
Ariba e-Procurement System project? Prepare a sales presentation (PPT format) for the meeting
scheduled with PFS. (three slides) You need to specify the members in the Infosys team and anticipate
the members in the PFS team for the meeting. Think of what role would each member in the Infosys
team has to play in the meeting

Supplementary Reading: Towards an integrated approach for key account management in Journal of
Business and Industrial Marketing 23(5) 323-331.