Key account management: 5 common myths dispelled

Lindsay Bruce and Lynette Ryals

Key Account Management (KAM) has been transformed from a niche fad into a standard business practice.

Key Account Management: 5 Common Myths Dispelled

Dr Lynette Ryals Cranfield UniversityLindsay Bruce

Managers feel that they make (or should make) more money from key accounts than from other accounts. They are aware of the traditional 80:20 rule, that 20% of customers give companies 80% of their profit, and of the corresponding implications for their business. What is more, as markets mature, companies often polarise into a few major international accounts (potential key accounts) and myriad small niche players.

Take the example of food retailing in the UK, where the...

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