A true right-hand man for the sales manager, the position of KAM plays a key role in the company. The Key Account Manager is the one who negotiates directly with major customers.
What is the average salary for a Key Account Manager (KAM)?
In truth, there is no single salary for a Key Account Manager, but rather a multiplicity of different salaries, in particular depending on theexperience and type of contract From KAM:
Key Account Manager Intern Salary
The remuneration of a Key Account Manager Trainee is obviously lower, since it is above all a Assistant position and that it is primarily aimed at students looking for experience. So it is close €18,000/year gross, which in reality corresponds more to a remuneration around 1500€ gross per month, an internship generally lasts up to 6 months and not a full year.
Entry Level or Junior Key Account Salary
One Young Key Account Manager Newly graduated and starting out on the job market can expect an average salary of €35,000 gross per year, to which is added a variable (in terms of bonus, profit-sharing, participation...) of €10,000 on average. This remuneration is obviously due to his training and diploma and may still vary according to certain criteria.
Confirmed or Senior Key Account Salary
After more than 5 years of experience (in the same company or in several structures), the salary of Senior Key Account Manager is located around between €65,000 and €83,000 gross annually, again including a variable. However, it should be noted that the evolution of this variable is less marked than on other salespeople such as Business Developer.
What factors influence the salary of a Key Account Manager?
Beyond experience, it exists several criteria that have a significant impact on the salary of the Key Account Manager. If it is difficult to estimate universal average earnings, it is because salaries can vary according to the sector, the company, but also the location of the position.
The industry
Each market has its own specificities, including the question of remuneration. Sector offers high-tech, web or large industry generally offer a much higher salary for the same job. This can be explained by a need for a more advanced training and knowledge (if it involves working hand in hand with an aeronautical engineer, for example), or simply by a high demand in fast-growing sectors.
The company chosen (size, financing)
For the same work, the difference in pay can also be explained by the choice of the company and through negotiation at the time of recruitment. A small structure will in fact be less willing to pay very large salaries, unlike a large group. Depending on the training of the KAM and its skills, it is however possible to discuss compensation before taking up a position, or an increase after it has proven itself.
In the commercial sector, it is also recommended to change companies regularly to ensure increasing remuneration: Every 3 years, leaving your job to find another job elsewhere allows you to negotiate 5 to 7% more at the time of recruitment.
The location
It is quite easy to notice that the The location of a position in France affects the salary scales of companies. The salary is indeed Higher in Paris than in the rest of France to stay in line with the cost of living. For example, we note that the average remuneration of an experienced Key Account Manager is around €12,000 gross monthly in Paris, while it revolves around €9,000 in Bordeaux.
What is the role of a Key Account Manager?
An indispensable part of the sales team, the Key Account Manager is responsible for a single major customer or a portfolio of key customers. Its role is thus based onacquisition of prospects, negotiation, and then the maintenance of a good relationship customer leading to loyalty. Generally leading a sales team, he also has sales manager duties.
What are the missions of a Key Account Manager?
Its missions may vary depending on the sector. in which he works, the type of structure and the experience, but it is a profession that is generally defined by the following three main missions:
Account Management
It could simply be summed up byacquisition, negotiation and customer loyalty. En close collaboration with the sales engineer, It is a job that consists of collecting data to establish a targeted prospecting plan, identify the needs of the prospect for him make appropriate offers then create a relationship of trust with the new customer to retain them. Keep all the historical exchange data with the customer is a crucial step in the Loyalty, since this is what makes it possible to follow the evolution of sales cycles and expectations in order to maintain this relationship over the long term.
Team management
Managing a team is also part of the daily tasks of the Key Account Manager. It must therefore cooperate simultaneously with the commercial engineering part and the project management part to achieve the objectives previously defined.
Setting and achieving business goals
Thanks to his good knowledge of products and the market, he is in demand to participate in creation of the business plan And at the Definition of commercial policy of society. It therefore determines at first the resources, tools, goals and deadlines for each project, which he communicates to his team in a second step to his team.
How to be a good Key Account Manager?
To succeed in this profession, it is necessary above all to emphasize that it is essential to follow a training course to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for the successful execution of daily missions. There is no other way no Key Account Manager offers available without a diploma or training on the job market.
The necessary qualities
Listening, the sense of observation, rigor and relational ease are qualities required to practice. Negotiation and customer loyalty functions in fact require a good communication skills and a certain degree of diplomacy to easily conclude a sales contract. THEadaptability and stress resistance are also crucial in the good management of a client portfolio and the supervision of a team.
Skills to be developed
Les various commercial techniques for prospecting, negotiating and building loyalty must be mastered, even if they can obviously be improved over time. By sector In which you exercise, you may have to follow an fTraining on products and their specificities in order to broaden its knowledge and to be able to easily answer customer questions and objections. Finally, know another language, especially English, can be a real asset for managing a portfolio of international clients and stand out at the time of recruitment.
What are similar jobs?
It exists for the Key Account Manager several perspectives for development, whether they are vertical or horizontal. Here is therefore a non-exhaustive list of jobs in the same continuity:
Key Account Executive
More focused even on the finalization of sales cycles and loyalty, its role is more focused on customer advice and support in getting started products or services purchased. It is an accessible position after a master's degree specialized in business and a few years of seniority as a salesperson.
Global Account Manager
Also known as Head of Account Management, it is a profession more internationally oriented since he is in charge of the management of accounts of foreign customers. The responsibilities are greater and the salary is higher - in addition, the Proficiency in several other languages is absolutely required to stand out on the job market.
Technical Account Manager
Son transversal expertise on the technical side of the product And her knowledge of the commercial environment allow it to provide a real customer and structure support, between whom he makes the link.
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