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Papers and articles

Measuring and Managing Customer Profitability

In this article, Gary Cokins challenges one of the most persistent assumptions in business: that revenue growth equals value creation. Focusing on the often-hidden reality of customer profitability, the article explains why traditional accounting masks the true cost to serve individual customers and how this leads organisations to reward unprofitable behaviour. It sets out a…

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Papers and articles

An Open Letter to Supplier CEOs- Your KAM Strategy is Broken (And Only You Can Fix It)

In this direct and challenging article, Mark Davies argues that many KAM programmes are failing not because of poor execution, but because leadership has underestimated the scale of change required. Written as an open letter to CEOs, the article makes the case for moving beyond traditional relationship-led KAM toward a truly value-based model. Drawing on…

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Papers and articles

Looking Ahead- How Corporate Foresight Can Strengthen KAM

In this forward-looking piece, Christian Lautenschlager and Nektarios Tzempelikos explore how corporate foresight can elevate Key Account Management from reactive problem-solving to strategic partnership. The article introduces foresight-driven KAM as a practical way for account teams to anticipate change, co-create future solutions, and build deeper trust with key customers. With clear examples and simple tools,…

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Papers and articles

What do Key Accounts really value?

In this practical and insight-rich article, Paul Wilson addresses one of the most persistent challenges in KAM: the dominance of price-based conversations. Drawing on extensive experience and research, the article explores what key accounts truly value beyond cost, introducing a clear framework built around five core value pillars. It provides practical guidance on how KAM…

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Papers and articles

Organising for KAM report

This research report from Warwick Business School explores how companies can better understand how to (and how not to) design their organisations to deliver their KAM objectives. A diverse group of companies looked at organisational structure, KAM teams and the KAM development journey, particularly focusing on the wide range of people involved and their mindsets…

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Papers and articles

KAM success in facilities management: EMCOR UK

What does KAM look like when it becomes the core of a company’s strategy? In this case study, EMCOR UK’s Chief Operating Officer Ian Meaden shares how one of the country’s top FM suppliers turned an intuitive understanding of customer needs into a formalised, long-term KAM programme. From training every cohort of key account managers…

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Papers and articles

Learning KAM from big pharma

What can the pharmaceutical industry teach us about complex KAM? Consultant Frans van Schelven draws on his experience helping global pharma firms implement KAM in diverse healthcare systems. With customers ranging from prescribing doctors to integrated care systems and policymakers, pharma offers a model for tailoring your KAM strategy to varied decision-makers. This article explores…

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Papers and articles

Managing government as a key account: How Skanska does it

Can government be treated like a key account? Anthony Arkle, Head of Public Affairs at Skanska UK, believes it can—and should. This article explains how Skanska built structured account plans to engage strategically with the UK Department for Transport and other public bodies. Drawing on his experience from both sides of the public-private divide, Anthony…

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Papers and articles

Embracing the silos for KAM

Dr Hajo Rapp, Head of Strategic Account Management and Sales Excellence at TÜV SÜD AG, presents an unconventional view of organisational silos, traditionally seen as detrimental to effective KAM. While acknowledging their drawbacks, Dr Rapp identifies hidden strengths of silo structures, including specialisation, accountability, and operational agility. Instead of dismantling silos, he advocates for strategically…

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Papers and articles

How ‘time congruity’ impacts KAM: Research update

Are you a ‘one thing at a time’ person? Are you happy with long-term thinking? How does this fit with your role as a key account manager? Professor Christophe Fournier from the University of Montpellier introduces the concept of “time congruity,” the alignment between an individual’s time personality and the time-defined demands of their role.…

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