Account management training in a recession - can you really afford not to?

by admin on 15/01/09 at 11:44 am

: Image via Wikipedia

The subject of account management training comes up quite a bit in our office - we spend a lot of time working with key account management teams and providing tools and techniques for them to get the most out of their day.

With the credit crunch really starting to bite now around the world - traditionally, activities like marketing and training go out the window. Is this right though? Should you let your teams languish? Should you let morale get lower and lower? Or, should you keep your teams motivated and inspired by doing things differently?

Have you thought about setting up an internal training academy? Like these guys have done… You will be surprised at the number of people within your organisation who would be willing to transfer the knowledge and skills they’ve learnt along the way to their colleagues. This can be done in a semi-formal way - why not over breakfast…? Provide a few pastries and some coffee, tell people to get in 30 mins early and make it a regular thing.

Multiple day offsite training courses to get your teams upskilled in this particular climate, we believe are perhaps a last resort. Having your key account management off the road for 3 days and typically uncontactable isn’t ideal at any time, particularly now. If you do have a requirement, don’t be afraid to ask for a discount for multiple candidates - or just because you need one. You’ll be surprised the number of people that will agree to discounts, to get people through the door.

Online learning is really starting to come of age too. We’ve found this account management training course, which is video-based and only takes 10 minutes to go through 3 mornings a week - hence the name, The 845 Club.

Be creative - just because money’s tight at the moment, don’t ignore the fact that people still need to be inspired and motivated. Those who do will in a recession, will do even better when the outlook is rosier again.

The account management blog