Dr Sue Holt explores how key account management is aligning and adapting to the needs of today's organisations.
Over the past few decades, we’ve seen the role of the key account manager evolve dramatically and we are now at a critical pivot point. What was once a role rooted in traditional sales has become something far more strategic, demanding, and impactful.
The most successful key account managers today are no longer just commercial operators –they are the customer experts within their organisations. They bring the voice of the customer into the heart of business strategy, bridging functions like IT, supply chain, and finance to deliver coherent, tailored value. This shift in positioning has given key account managers a much clearer identity and purpose.
One particularly fascinating trend is the changing profile of people entering the profession. Many no longer come from conventional sales backgrounds. Instead, we see highly effective key account managers with broader management experience, often displaying collaborative, investigative, and coordinating strengths. In Belbin terms, we’re seeing fewer “shapers” and more “coordinators” and “resource investigators” – people skilled in building relationships, navigating ambiguity, and drawing insights from across the business.
Another striking change is that key account managers now spend more time managing internal relationships than external ones. In many organisations, it’s as much as 75% of their time. That might surprise those still viewing the role through a traditional sales lens, but it reflects the complexity of what’s required to deliver value in today’s environment. Influencing without authority, aligning cross-functional teams, and maintaining strategic clarity are all part of the job.
When it comes to performance measurement, we’ve moved well beyond sales targets. High-performing organisations are evaluating key account managers on metrics such as:
- Individual Net Promoter Scores (NPS);
- Achievement of customer-defined KPIs and CPIs;
- Growth in share of wallet and customer profitability;
- Strategic alignment with business plans;
- Value co-creation and trust.
One of the most important capabilities a key account manager must develop is strategic planning. That means truly understanding the customer’s market, ambitions, and challenges, and shaping your organisation’s response accordingly. Alongside this, the ability to manage and mobilise information from all corners of the business is critical. The best account managers are those who know how to spot connections, leverage insight, and bring people together.
Qualities like integrity, resilience, political astuteness, and the ability to inspire confidence are essential. In high-pressure, high-stakes environments, you can’t afford to have ‘rabbits in the headlights’ when challenges arise.
Looking ahead, as AI and automation take over more transactional tasks, key account managers will become the linchpins of strategic, human-to-human business relationships. We will see more of these critically important sales specialists with MBA-level qualifications and cross-functional experience. They’ll be the trusted partners procurement teams turn to in times of change and uncertainty.
But this evolution doesn’t happen on its own; it requires deliberate investment in talent, training, and support. The Key Account Management Best Practice Programme at Cranfield School of Management equips sales professionals with the tools, frameworks, and mindset needed to excel in this ever-changing role. If you’re ready to move from transactional sales to strategic influence, or want to future-proof your team’s capabilities, this is an excellent place to start.
Let’s elevate the practice of key account management together.
To find out more about Cranfield's sales programmes explore Key Account Management and Strategic Sales Leadership or download the brochures:
