What Slowing Economy? Strategic Account Managers Expect Continuing Growth

Survey finds majority of Strategic Account Managers and executives seeing unabated revenue increases from key strategic customers despite overall market worries

CHICAGO, April 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Even as the effects of the current economic crisis are being felt by companies on a global scale, a majority of strategic account managers (SAMs) and executives report that their revenues have increased significantly from 2006 to 2007 and expect continued growth throughout 2008. These and more findings gleaned from an extensive survey sent to strategic account professionals by the Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA) will be released at the Association's Annual Conference in Dallas from May 18 to 21. According to the survey, companies with SAM programs are growing revenue on average at twice the pace of other accounts within the companies.

The "2008 Report on Current Trends and Practices in Strategic Account Management" combines data from close to 600 respondents on global and national companies representing a broad range of industries and markets. According to the respondents, 67% expect their gross revenues to increase over the previous year, with an average increase of 12.6%, while 26% expect their revenues stay the same, and only 7% expect a decrease. In addition, 84% of the SAMs surveyed expect revenues to increase in the year following.

"Customer intimacy and a constant pursuit of mutual productivity solutions have allowed strategic account managers to better ward off the current downturn," said Bernard Quancard, president and CEO of SAMA. "It is that high level of engagement that has allowed strategic account managers to dramatically increase wallet share at their accounts."

Strategic Account Management is the practice of developing long-term synergistic customer-supplier relationships that emphasize collaboration and co-creation of value with a mutual goal of innovation, sustainable growth and profitability.

Founded in 1964 and with close to 4,400 members worldwide, the Strategic Account Management Association is a knowledge-sharing organization devoted to promoting, developing and advancing Strategic Account Management -- the concept of customer-supplier collaboration -- on a national and global scale. For more information, visit http://ww.strategicaccounts.org/. The 2008 Report on Current Trends and Practices in Strategic Account Management was developed with feedback management by the consultancy Walker.

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Source: Strategic Account Management Association

CONTACT: Matt Micou of Strategic Account Management Association,
+1-312-251-3131 x18, micou@strategicaccounts.org

Web Site: http://www.strategicaccounts.org/

2008-04-29 17:31:12 0348413 PRNEWSWIRE