Managing Global Accounts will help you address the challenges of dealing with global customers. As globalization takes hold, several things happen: customers become more demanding and sophisticated, competition intensifies, business becomes more complex and fast-changing, and highly competent global account managers are in short supply. The managerial challenges of competing in a global marketplace are significantly more difficult than those of competing domestically. Life is especially tough when a corporation is not centrally focused on the global customer, and when corporate personnel across functions and locations around the world fail to understand this priority.

To "get it" means to understand at a visceral level that success or failure with global customers may be synonymous with the success or failure of the entire enterprise. Unless all employees are aligned and focused on the firm’s relationships with its global customers, competitors who do "get it" will surpass them. Indeed, competitive advantage based on building global supplier-customer relationships may be more enduring than advantages based on products or services. Companies can cancel products, but they are far less likely to sever ties with people—especially those who have served them well. However, the promise of long-term, sustainable competitive advantage can only be realized if the firm genuinely prioritizes serving the global customer. No matter where they are located, all employees must understand they are competing in a global world and that success with global customers is the Holy Grail. They must cast off the shackles of ethnocentrism and nationalism ingrained in their youth and embrace the global challenge. Not only should they defend their turf against global competitors, but they must also actively contribute to the success of their global customers. In pursuing this goal, they may develop a global account management system that itself becomes a source of competitive advantage.

Format	ISBN	List Price	Wessex Website Price
Softcover (B&W)	978-0-9797344-3-4	$ 28.95 USD	$ 28.95 USD
E-Book	979-8-9910651-9-1	N/A	$ 23.95 USD

Testimonials

Managing global customers is becoming a critical issue for corporations around the world. Customers are dramatically evolving their procurement practices and an effective global account management approach will be an increasingly important competitive advantage for the customer-focused firm. Capon and his coauthors lay out a roadmap for a superior global account management. This book is a must-read if you want to be world class in global account management.

Successful global account management can be the most difficult sales and marketing initiative undertaken by any firm. The authors of this book truly understand the complexities involved and they provide a thorough overview of the required critical success factors.

Managing world-spanning accounts is central to every global firm’s success. Yet the task forces organizations into new molds, making it a daunting effort. This important book embraces every facet of the undertaking, weaving them all into one coherent framework—a rare accomplishment for any business text. That, plus its conversational style, will make Managing Global Accounts an important and readily usable tool for years to come.

If you are looking to start or revitalize your global account program, this book is must-read. Generally, there is a lack of understanding in the senior ranks of large organizations when starting a global account program that often leads to costly false starts and client upset. This book takes away the mystery and sets forth valid concepts and steps that will make these programs viable. It provides an experienced path to follow that will support any company developing their global account program. You will discover ideas and thoughts that usually come to a sales executive well into the development of such a program. The authors approach the subject from experience and leave the theory to others. These authors deserve a standing ovation from sales leaders charged with developing global account programs.

The authors have done an excellent job of integrating the technical and social aspects of the global account management process. In a very accessible book, they look at the essential aspects that a global account manager needs to master.