Impact Relationships in Retirement: RM as Value Creator

The Differentiator in Retirement Relationships: Be a Value Creator 
Most Account Management training has been available for over 20 years. But business has changed as have the expectations of clients in Retirement. The record keepers that command the lion's share of the plans in the Fortune 500 all deserve a seat at the table. But a rare few keep it year in and year out. The ones who do- they are the value creators. 
 
High performing Retirement relationship management teams are taking a value creation approach to clients - an approach that speaks to the need to offer insight over product and service virtues. These firms are on a mission to avoid heading down a commodity path in their respective sectors. 
 
Research from the Sales Executive Council and Harvard Business Publishing speaks to the need to trade on the insights RMs bring to multiple stakeholders, rather than acting reactively with one "buyer". With the help of Bill Walton Sales Training, these value creators are moving farther upstream in their client's business strategy and planning. They're leveraging genuine curiosity and insight as retention tools, and conducting better conversations with key stakeholders as a result.

There is great upside in celebrating the role of the RM in Retirement. RMs have an opportunity to deepen conversations with their HR partners – partners that need to create value for their own organizations beyond benefits. An opportunity exists for a common language among RMs to create value for clients and drive ideas that support mutual objectives.

Here are a few recommendations for those looking to create a legion of value creators in their organization:

• Create a balanced client interaction grounded in insights valuable to CFOs,  HR Heads, and Benefits Managers. Don't forget the Benefits associates that never go home on time. 
• Steep yourself in the jobs of key stakeholders. Google their job descriptions to see what truly keeps them up at night (so you don't ever have to ask that question).
• Practice conducting engaging and focused discussions about business pressures and drivers - pressures and drivers your solutions can potentially remedy. 
• Proactively build business issue-specific, value-based relationships with “Accountable Executives” in accounts. Accountable Executives are the true "intrapreneurs" in the organization - they get stuff done and love developing people. They're the leaders people want to work for. 
• Get clients to view your RMs as industry "thinking partners". Create the wonderful confusion among stakeholders so they wonder if your RMs actually work for the organization!  

​To grow more value creators in your organization, send me at note at bwalton@billwaltonsalestraining and I'll send you a fresh copy of our new whitepaper titled The Era of the Value Creator.