By now, pharmaceutical companies must appreciate the importance of key account management training and how they must always be in possession of the latest, cutting-edge marketing information to enable them to actively solicit and then cultivate major, important accounts. There may be a tendency to concentrate on the establishment of a "system," where a large number of individuals within key roles are all engaged in helping to ensure that the "big picture" is realised. We know that it takes many individuals within an organisation to satisfy the requirements of the key account and that these individuals must all work together in harmony. However, there may be a danger that the personal element of interaction is overlooked, to the company's peril, when an organisation’s marketing structure is designed.

The exchange of value is insufficient if effective communication is not given great attention, and this is one of the main reasons why a relationship may fail. The element of one-on-one contact is still the most important and must be handled very carefully. Key account management training may well call for many different individuals within the company to be intrinsically aware of a client’s needs. A large variety of individual, interactive communications will arise. However, there must still be a "point person," nominated by the pharmaceutical company, to deal with the most key individual within the key account. In the very early stages of development, this relationship must be categorically identified and must be cultivated, or problems will certainly arise.

Customer service may be one of the first areas to be considered for cutbacks during slower times and while certain roles may indeed be effectively consolidated under the total domain of key account management, personal contact with the key client should never be overlooked. It is also not sensible for the organisation to put all its eggs in one collective personality basket. Relationships, whether in personal or business situations, are often based on the convergence of personalities, but there is a danger in relying upon these alone. Key account management structures should build in a certain layer of redundancy and ensure that the relationship with the client could not completely collapse if one party departs the organisation.

These days, key account management training should never be cast in stone, or the subject of a repetitive, "proven" philosophy. The management team responsible for setting up the company structures should be "street smart," and well aware of what the particular client needs, as a consequence. They should not operate in isolation from the marketing office, but should get out and visit clients. This will help them to understand how to modify their marketing structure and also enable them to act readily and with confidence, should any break in the interpersonal relationship pipeline occur.

The road ahead is challenging for the pharmaceutical company, as even more legislation arrives and as a process of consolidation and acquisition is anticipated. As major patents expire and as more focus is put on "niche" solutions and products, pharma training must become more comprehensive and diversified.

Alan Gillies is the Director of L2L Consulting, an elite pharmaceutical consultancy firm which specialises in Strategy Development and Implementation Excellence for prestigious multi-national organisations.

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