2007 Q1 Book Review
Bag the Elephant
by Steve Kaplan
This is an interesting title for a book that has content of value. The elephant is a reference to large accounts and suggests ways to land the account. The author cites several examples in which he was able to generate revenues far exceeding the company’s historical levels.
The author enumerates six keys for a successful big customer focus and demonstrates how to build strong alliances that result in maximum sales. Of particular value was the chapter on learning techniques for turning customer catastrophes into customer loyalty and how to avoid the five killer mistakes that can put a company out of business.
The five killer mistakes include mismanaging client expectations; fumbling client crises, i.e. being blindsided by sudden catastrophe; operational explosion, i.e. biting off more than you can chew; the elephant trap, i.e. putting all your eggs in one basket and finally; losing sight of the numbers or a more colorful description is up a cash creek without a paddle.
All in all, the author provides an entertaining look at ways to land the large accounts.