Top customer experience professionals know how to get things done. In particular, they know how to work through others to drive results. In a series of blog posts I’m taking a look at several personas representing key users of customer intelligence – their role, their needs, and tips on working with them.
Today’s post looks at Julie – a strategic account manager (SAM). SAMs can make an immediate difference using customer intelligence, particularly in B-to-B companies. 
HER ROLE:
Julie is a strategic account manager. She manages a small number of large and complex business accounts and each one of them may involve multiple relationships. On a regular basis she is working with her customers to understand their issues, solve their problems and address their complaints. Julie is busy, aggressive, determined, and has a no-nonsense attitude. She is often busy putting out fires and has little patience for meaningless tasks and corporate details that often get in the way of her success and the success of her clients.
HER NEEDS:
Julie needs customer intelligence that will help her retain and grow her accounts. She needs to be able to anticipate problems and quickly understand how each contact feels about their relationship with her and with her company. She needs to know if a customer plans to decrease their orders or if they are considering a competitor. Similarly, she needs to be alerted of customers that may be ready to increase their orders or may be open to the cross-selling of new solutions.
WORKING WITH JULIE:
For Julie to get on-board, the customer intelligence you provide must help her retain and grow her accounts, which of course will help her be more successful. Keys to making this happen include:
- Easy access – Deliver intelligence in the most seamless possible way. If possible integrate it into the tools she already uses, such as her CRM system.
- Make it simple – People like Julie don’t want to wade through data. Give her just what she needs and make it easy for her to know what action to take.
- Make it relevant – If the intelligence you provide isn’t relevant or helpful, Julie won’t use it. Make sure it specifically relates to the accounts she manages and provides useful direction for retaining and growing her accounts.
Note: This is the first in a series of blogs looking at the key users of customer intelligence. The next blog will focus on quality managers.
