Strategic Account Management
 
A very distraught salesperson came into my office the other day. She had a rough month to say the least.  Her contact at her largest account is leaving and the replacement is someone in the company she has never met before. As part of the transition, the replacement is calling in all of the salesperson's competition to get proposals and competitive quotes. A 7 year relationship with that company is down the drain, and she has to start back at square one.
 
This happens every day. Sometimes it is downsizing, sometimes good people leave for better opportunities. If your contact at your largest account is your only contact at that account, you've got a problem. All of those favors, dinners, concert tickets and gifts, not to mention all of the extra time that you put into building a relationship with that client, could go away in the blink of an eye.
 
Strategic Account Management includes, among other things, getting "three wide and three deep." Know who works with your contact. Ask who would cover for your contact if they should become sick, or need to take a leave.  This is the most likely replacement.  Get to know them.  Also, get to know your contact's boss, and the boss' boss. What you want to have is the boss of your new contact recommending that your business with them stay the same, or increase! Be sure you have a system in place for your Strategic Account Management.