Performance potential in the global talent pool

12th April 2015 |   Journal Of Sales Transformation

A sophisticated self-administered online assessment of hundreds of individuals around the world provides us with a snapshot of the global sales profession.

Although salespeople tend to be lumped together in one group, sales is not a generic, one-size-fits-all activity; selling can actually be divided into various distinct roles, so it is important to hire and develop the right person for the right role. Here, we focus on the roles of account manager, application salesperson and solution salesperson, with individual performances analysed over the period between mid-2012 and mid-2013.

Account manager

Role definition

“The role of an account manager is to engage at C-suite level to proactively retain and develop existing client relationships and income from a portfolio of significant clients, and also to develop and grow new client relationships. An account manager is expected to manage a client portfolio in order to maximise the long-term mutual value of the relationship for both parties.”