Account Management Secrets The MBA Account Managers Never Got | EP58
Oct 10, 2025
Join Frank Cespedes, a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School and author of "Sales Management That Works," as he shares insights on account management's critical role in business today. He discusses how higher interest rates are reshaping buying behavior and underscores the need for financial literacy in account managers. Cespedes critiques common account strategies and emphasizes the importance of meaningful client connections and data-driven planning. He argues that true account management is about protecting overall company wellbeing, not just retaining customers.
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Few Accounts Now Drive Most Revenue
- Revenue concentration has increased so that a few big accounts now drive a much larger share of company revenue.
- That shift makes account management more strategically critical and riskier for the whole business.
Higher Rates Raise The Cost Of False Positives
- Higher interest rates and cost of capital lengthen selling cycles and raise the cost of false positives.
- Companies must tighten lead qualification to avoid wasting resources chasing poor opportunities.
Set Clear Lead Qualification Criteria
- Do establish clear lead qualification criteria pre-sale and post-sale so teams know what is worth chasing.
- Use AI carefully as a tool, but ensure managers interpret outputs and make the final call.
