At a recent industry reception, while a group of us were talking, the conversation somehow meandered to competitive service pricing. Someone asked: “Can you get good competitive research on service pricing?” “Sure,” I replied, “but it won’t be of much value to you anyway and you can probably find a better use for your money.”

Which skills distinguish high-performing account managers from their low-performing counterparts?

The ideal skill set is broad and comprehensive. It includes awareness of customers’ goals, a wider network of internal and external contacts and better use of information resources.

A conversation about the key drivers of service business success and why competitive intelligence is not one of them.

A ServicesRevenue Business Case.

Andrew Chang, the most senior person on SenTel’s team, stressed that his company is in no position to pay the fees Ty Technologies proposed. He acknowledged the new service contract reflects an overall higher service level than before. The problem, he explained, had to do with the current economic climate.

Greg Moore hints to Fran Butler that he’s expecting an overall cost reduction of 10 to 15% as their lunch is served. Fran is not surprised since her company’s contract is due to expire at the end of the following quarter.

A ServicesRevenue Business Case.