Key Account Management and Planning: The Comprehensive Handbook for Managing Your Company's Most Important Strategic Asset

For the first time, Capon introduces his breakthrough four-part "congruence model" of key account management -- a new, thoroughly researched approach to optimally managing your key account portfolio. First, the author shows how to select and conceptualize the key account portfolio; second, how to organize and manage key accounts; third, how to recruit, select, train, retain, and reward key account managers; and fourth, how to formulate and execute strategy and issues of coordination and control. This congruence model serves as a backdrop as Capon takes the reader step-by-step through the vital functions of key account management including identifying key account criteria, considering the threats and opportunities for the key account, and understanding the roles and responsibilities of critical players. Capon backs up his points with extensive research, real-life stories of successes and failures at a variety of companies, and clarifying figures. Special chapters are devoted to partnering with key accounts and in-depth information on global key account management, an increasingly important weapon for staying ahead of the competition.

Timely, important, and essential, Key Account Management and Planning is the only reference handbook those with key account responsibilities will ever need.

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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Must Have Book for Strategic Account Managers, 2008-09-25
This is the "how to" book for major account management by the leading expert in the field. It includes the requisite underlying logic, practical support, tools and plenty of real-world examples to support even the most ambitious program. The book is extremely well written and quite logical.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Thorough, useful, but very dry, 2008-02-28
Capon's book has proven useful to me as a thorough introduction to key account management (KAM). The approach is highly methodical and analytic and covers all the important areas of theory, strategy and execution, but the author could have infused more life in his writing. One reviewer called it a "snoozoid" - a little harsh. I read this quickly because it is packed with useful information, but it wasn't a joy ride. Still, to Capon's credit, while many authors of business books provide few examples, he has provided them amply.

If you're in an organization that is new to true key account management, the book can help you understand the profile of a good key account manager so that you can assign KAMs with appropriate skills and qualifications, e.g., KAMs are not just salespeople. There is also helpful information about the design and management of a KAM team.

I would have given the book a 5-star rating, but because the writing needs to be more lively, I gave it a 4-star rating.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Meticulous manual on key account management, 2007-12-19
Not surprisingly, the author of this exhaustive guide to key account management is a professor: Noel Capon of the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. His meticulous manual on key account management certainly could be used to teach a course on the subject. He thoroughly explains why corporations turn to key account management to handle their biggest customers. He outlines the benefits to these firms and their clientele, covering every stage of the account management process: selection of clients, key account organization, recruitment, training, research, analysis, strategy, step-by-step action and implementation. Capon's liberal use of real-life stories, graphs, and examples of what works and what doesn't helps break up the dry, complex material. This reference book requires commitment and concentration, but we consider it essential reading for anyone in corporate sales and key account management, or for any sales manager who is considering a key account management system.


0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Wake me up when you're done writing, 2007-07-06
The sound you hear as you read this review is me snoring as I once again attempt to read this book.

I find it to be a snoozoid...but there is some context that would be valuable.

If your sales position is working with a handful of key accounts you should buy this book. Assuming you can read through it and not fall asleep it will likely be of value to you.


4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

This book covers the key account management from all points of view, 2005-08-22
This book covers the key account management from all points of view. It is very useful for every key account manager because in the various chapters it handles every important issue that can be a part of key account management.

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