tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29666526.post9141448897617407553..comments2023-09-29T07:51:36.722-04:00Comments on Shop Talk - Innovation, Marketing and Alliances: For solutions providers, Account Management is kingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455469112645117394noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29666526.post-14061767858020325602007-05-21T22:48:00.000-04:002007-05-21T22:48:00.000-04:00John, nicely said. The reason every product compan...John, nicely said. <BR/><BR/>The reason every product company wants to sell solutions is that every enterprise client wants to buy a solution to a business problem, not component parts that just might – maybe – provide a solution (until it breaks).<BR/><BR/>I agree with Ranjay that it takes senior executive commitment. However, we have found that the coordination needs to occur not so much within account management, but much more in product development and marketing.<BR/><BR/>Silos need to be broken down to coordinate the development of multiple products (or product lines) into a solution. But who gets to say what a solution is? It’s a combination of sales and marketing. Sales needs to have input so they can commit to selling it. <BR/><BR/>Marketing, ultimately, has to own solution definition and solution marketing. Senior execs need to defend and sponsor this approach or the silos will go back to being independent non-solutions in search of a problem.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com