Strategic Account Management: Rebuilding a Poor Customer Relationship
Recently we were conducting a sales workshop on selling to strategic accounts. During one of the breaks a participants (Ken) asked us to have lunch with him so that he could discuss an account problem and gain our insight. Background & Situation During lunch Ken explained that he had recently been asked to take over […]
12 Ways Hospital Buyer Behavior is Changing! Part 2
This is Part 2 of our blog that discusses 12 Ways that Hospital Buying Behavior is Changing. If you missed Part 1 Click here and the link will take you to the article. In Part 1 we discussed the Power Shift to Sophisticated Buying, Analytics & Revenue Cycle Management, Demand Management, Further Supplier Consolidation, Self-Contracting […]
12 Ways Hospital Buyer Behavior is Changing! Part 1
Remember the good old days when you could walk into a hospital and go to a specific department without a vendor credential or signing in with procurement? When physician preference mattered? When department heads or service line directors could cut a PO or sign a lease agreement? When maverick buying prevailed? Well those days are […]
My Company’s Cross Selling Program is Driving Me Crazy!
In healthcare and many other industries, consolidation of competitors (i.e., mergers and acquisitions) has made cross-selling a logical strategy for driving growth and improving sales productivity. Even within organizations, companies have implemented cross-selling efforts to introduce new products and expand their footprint within an existing customer base. From the outside, the development and implementation of […]
Should You Have an Executive Sponsor for Every Strategic Account?
Strategic accounts are the lifeblood of every organization. By definition they are those accounts that you absolutely, positively cannot afford to lose. They are so important to your organizations survival and profitability that they are treated as “corporate assets.” Since these accounts are vital to your organizations continued financial health they should be managed by […]
Have You Heard the One About the Sales VP Who Went In for an Eye Exam?
A friend tells a story that may seem familiar to many of us. Several years ago—before GPS systems were commonplace–he was traveling by car with one of his sales representatives to visit an important customer. Although our friend had been to the account on numerous occasions, it had been several years and the landscape had […]
10 Deadly Sins in B-B Sales
Recently we had an opportunity to have a dinner meeting with several successful Vice Presidents of Sales in the MedTech industry. While none of them compete with each other, each manages a sales organization that excels in their industry and has the sales results to prove it. We asked them what pitfalls or obstacles they […]
Value Creation: The I-10 Parable
This story first surfaced in the early 2000s about a 21-year old salesman named Chris. A recent graduate of Arizona State University, Chris was having difficulty getting a job in his chosen field when he stumbled across an opening as a sales representative for a marketing firm that—among other services—sold billboard space to gas stations, […]
Do You Have a Sniper in Your Strategic Account?
Within every strategic account there are numerous people that are your sponsor, coach or ally. These are the folks that helped you earn the business and they are your supporters. Lurking somewhere, however, is someone that does not embrace the continual usage of your product, service or solution. Their interest lies in removing your product […]
Does Hospital Procurement Only Care About Price?
Over the last few weeks we have had several conversations with various regional sales managers about the role of hospital procurement. With passion and raised voices, these managers argued that “hospital procurement only cares about price, you cannot sell them on value because they don’t care, they just want the lowest price!” They then asked […]
