Managing Million-Dollar Relationships

Strategic account management at enterprise scale

Challenge I inherited a Fortune 500 account worth $1.2MM annually that was at serious risk. The relationship had deteriorated, with multiple stakeholders across 20+ countries having conflicting priorities and expectations. Competitors were actively pitching to replace us. The previous approach was entirely reactive, with no strategic vision or executive alignment.

Approach I immediately mapped all stakeholder relationships to understand the political landscape and decision-making process. Established executive alignment through quarterly business reviews at their headquarters. Created a strategic account plan that aligned our services with their business objectives along with a custom playbook. Built relationships at multiple levels to avoid single-point-of-failure dependency. Developed global consistency in service delivery while maintaining flexibility for local market needs.

Outcome

• Expanded account value by 35% in the first year

• Secured a 3-year strategic partnership agreement

• Relationship survived 2 major client reorganizations intact

• Achieved 100% executive satisfaction scores for 8 consecutive quarters