Relationship management: Account planning and scorecarding

Challenge

A leading provider of outsourced services and technology in the financial services industry asked New Harbor to develop an account planning and tracking approach to better manage its client relationships. This involved a newly-formed unit, based on the integration of two previously separate organizations. The challenge involved developing an effective method to ‘steer the ship’ while avoiding unneeded complexity.

Approach

• Needs assessment: Reviewed client objectives, previous approaches used by the client and other companies, and met with key executives involved 
• Initial proposals: Developed templates for account plans and scorecards, to track meaningful progress in:
• Broadening relationships with senior client executives
• Implementing appropriate additional products at the client
• Sharing client views on products back to the development team
• Rolling up client-level results to the business unit level
• Final deliverable: Produced revised templates balancing completeness with staff willingness to adopt approach based on perceived value
• Client workshop: Met with client representatives and unit head to discuss initial proposal, ways to make the information more impactful outside the unit and simplifications to gain buy-in and achieve prompt implementation

Results

• Project was completed quickly and effectively
• Pragmatic tools were delivered to the newly-formed relationship management team