Why is managing Key Accounts similar to dancing the Viennese Waltz? This question is answered by Vice President – Client Engagement Executive Jayesh Controllu, in his keynote for FHWien der WKW.
“Key Account Management, or “KAM”, is a process where you carefully align your processes & strategies towards growth with your clients success to make them win. Similarly in Waltz you have to align your steps, posture, balance, momentum with your partners and dance hand in hand gracefully in the same rhythm and enjoy the melodies to give the best of the experiences making your partner feel it’s a never ending story and an ongoing process.”
Using this introducing words Jayesh Controllu, Vice President – Client Engagement Executive with Intellect Design Arena Ltd., started his keynote on November 24, 2021 at FHWien der WKW. In his over 24 years industry proven experience on customer centricity and relationship management he managed Key Accounts for products and services in the Fin-Tech Industry all over the world including the most known banks in the European Region.
Identifying the right Key Account opportunities: A view beyond business figures
To fruitfully identify key accounts early on, you must have done your homework. If you may think it is enough to do market research and study business reports, you are wrong, emphasizes Jayesh Controllu. He looks beyond pure calculations of prospected profits and relies on the mission statements and visions of his prospects to identify future customers who are worth investing in. I. e. a company may not be the cash cow at first glance, but the vision can reveal new attractive business fields that may guarantee future growth. Pursuit through quality and quantity of customers, its business networks and affiliated companies “question marks” the long term “cost volume profit analysis” and may be a door opener and therefore worth investing.
Entering a new market: Of course, the price plays a role
Once you have successfully identified a prospect key account, you have to provide a tasty offer and of course, the price plays a role. Jayesh Controllu advises to combine competition with a growth strategy. That means for example entering the business with an attractive reduced fee but follow a long-term vision of up- and cross-selling and positioning as a “preferred partner” and of course without any compromises on the delivery quality.
Knowing the customer and anticipating future needs is the key
What is good KAM? Fintech is complex and going through rapid changes related to business and technology. As an excellent key account manager you have to always improve customer experience and meet customer expectations by identifying and understanding their pain points, challenges and goals, states Jayesh Controllu. Knowing or even anticipating developments in the fintech world help to be able to offer the right products and services at the right time. That also means continuing learning and understanding and – not to forget – giving and taking in a relationship and being in the same rhythm with complete alignment, just like dancing a Viennese waltz.
Social Media as a fruitful source for building relationships
Looking beyond all those facts, soft skills are crucial in the job as a key account manager. That means, being able to communicate in the right way on the right channels is mandatory. Jayesh Controllu emphasizes on Social Media and especially on business networks. It supports building and retaining relationships with prospects and customers, Off-course a functional customer relationship management system is the basis of efficient customer interaction.
Great thanks to Jayesh Controllu who gave an in-depth inside into his business!
The keynote was organized by Marina Prem, Academic Expert & Lecturer Sales & CRM from the Marketing & Sales Management Study Programs of FHWien der WKW. Learn more about “studying real business” here: