LAMP A methodology for our time

You know all those companies that talk customer centricity and "putting our customers first" ? Well how many of them really mean it ? One way to tell is to ask them abou the nature of their account planning. Because in reality what I find when I ask that question is that their ACCOUNT plans are defined by a target number handed down from on high, and then the hapless account manager has to figure out a plan on how to flog them enough stuff to meet the number .. where's the customer centricity in that ?

The reality is that many business absolutely do not put their customers first.For many its about creating the goods and services, producing them in a cost efficient way and then selling them at the customers. Marketing and manufacturing driven companies are often like this. BUT how sustainable is this in the 21st century ?

Customers have greater knowledge courtesy of the information age, and now demand more, they demand an extra shot, skinny grande latte with a dusting of cinamon ! They want to define the spec of their individual PC or create customer coloured / designed Nikes. One size increasing will not fit all. That why all products and service are incresing subject to the forces of commoditisaion customers and consumers need to percieve real added value to pay anything but the lowest price, and their expecations of what tailored added value looks like are growing rapidly .

What that means for businesses is that you have to be really willing to be truely customer centric, start with deep understanding of what the customer needs and be willing and able to flex to meet and excede that requirement.

Large Account Management process or LAMP or gold sheeting, is the Miller Heiman methodolgy for managing business critical relationships ... this programme can transform businesses. Well excuted, it facilitates businesses being truely customer centric,uniquely differented and secure, but there is a catch. For it to do what it says on the tin it needs to be approached not as a sales initiativebut as business change. And that has implications potentially across a whole business for structures, remunation policies, people resource and focus ... are you really ready to change and if not are you really ready for the consequences of not doing so?