HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeStrategyback to Research & KnowledgeABB and Caterpillar (A): Key account managementback to Strategy

Case Study

ABB and Caterpillar (A): Key account management

By Winter Nie, Thomas E. Vollmann and Inna Francis

8 pages

August 2007

Order this case study

Reference: IMD-3-1852

This case series explores the issues faced by the key account manager appointed to handle one of the company’s major accounts, but one that is just about to walk out the door. The cases demonstrate efforts to turn the situation around, including improved knowledge of the client’s business and industry, cross-company team building, and a governance process for continual improvement.

Learning Objective

The learning objective is to demonstrate how key account management can be the most productive way to increase sales and profits: sell more to existing customers. This requires well coordinated and sometimes difficult actions from the business units and divisions. The case emphasizes the need for the whole team, and not just the key account manager, to invest time in building relationships with the client and become more customer-centric. There are some interesting issues as to who should make decisions, have power, and where the P&L should reside. These depend, in the end, on the history and culture of the organization.

Keywords

Client Relationship Management, Cross-company Team Building, Customer Satisfaction, Engineering, General Management, Intrapreneurship, Key Account Management

Settings

Germany
Asea Brown Boveri
2005-2006

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English, Spanish

IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

This case study is part of a series

ABB and Caterpillar (A): Key account management
ABB and Caterpillar (B): The renaissance
ABB and Caterpillar (C): Traction motors

Best-selling Case Study

This case study is part of a series

ABB and Caterpillar (A): Key account management
ABB and Caterpillar (B): The renaissance
ABB and Caterpillar (C): Traction motors

Keep reading

Article

6 Tips for Leaders - Reputation Building

Six ways leaders can shape corporate reputation building strategies within their organizations, drawing on key insights from a Bloomberg Media study.

Branding Business Ethics Leadership Strategy

By Anne Kawalereski, Michelle Lynn and Elisabeth Oak

in I by IMD

Article

Leadership Thinking - Turbulent Business

To navigate a turbulent business environment, CEOs must understand their landscape and align leadership thinking priorities, advises IMD’s Michael Watkins.

Leadership Resilience Strategy

By Michael D. Watkins

in I by IMD

Case Study

TBC Group: Future proofing a history of success

Strategy Digital Growth

By Goutam Challagalla, Francis D. Kim and Philip Charles Zerrillo

Case Study

Nestlé Health Science: Building a healthy future towards 2030

The board of Nestlé S.A. announced that Anna Mohl would become the CEO of Nestlé Health Science (NHSc) — a global leader in nutritional science — on 1 January 2024. She was delighted to hear about her new position but knew there was little time to...

Strategy General Management Global Business

By Niccolò Pisani, Elham Pazirandeh-Micol, Karine Richard, Liudmila Ost and Quentin de Rham

Article

Female entrepreneurs’ thirst for knowledge and the dark side of customer learning actions

This study investigates whether male and female entrepreneurs exhibit systematic differences in the customer learning actions they pursue, and how those actions convert to venture performance. Drawing from a dyadic sample of founders and startup a...

Entrepreneurship Customer Centricity

By Matthew R. Marvel, Marcus T. Wolfe, Emily Neubert, Donald F. Kuratko and Sophie Bacq

in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice

14 February 2025, ePub before print, https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587241311119

Article

Solving the puzzle of today’s multi-dimensional labor force

Gone are the days of the loyal company man or woman. Today’s workforce often includes a mix of freelancers, agency temps, and outside contractors. Here are four work models to keep these disparate elements happy and motivated.

Leadership Strategy Talent Management Human Resources Organizational Design

By Sebastian Reiche

in I by IMD

5 February 2025

Article

How to master the 6 skills of strategic thinking

Are you struggling to lead successfully in the face of relentless disruption and uncertainty? Now’s the time to master the art of strategic thinking, starting with these six key skills.

Strategy Disruption

By Michael D. Watkins

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

4 February 2025

Article

Optimizing omnichannel assortments and inventory provisions under the multichannel attraction model

Assortment optimization presents a complex challenge for retailers, as it depends on numerous decision factors. Changes in assortment can result in demand redistribution with multi-layered consequences. This complexity is even more pronounced for ...

General Management

By Andrey Vasilyev, Sebastian Maier and Ralf W. Seifert

in European Journal of Operational Research

3 February 2025, ePub before print, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2025.01.035

6 Tips for Leaders - Reputation Building

By Anne Kawalereski Michelle Lynn and Elisabeth Oak
in I by IMD

Summary

Six ways leaders can shape corporate reputation building strategies within their organizations, drawing on key insights from a Bloomberg Media study.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Branding

Business Ethics

Leadership

Strategy

Browse all topics

Leadership Thinking - Turbulent Business

By Michael D. Watkins
in I by IMD

Summary

To navigate a turbulent business environment, CEOs must understand their landscape and align leadership thinking priorities, advises IMD’s Michael Watkins.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Resilience

Strategy

Browse all topics

CO-RO (B): Weathering the storm

By Omar Toulan and Valerie Keller-Birrer
Case reference: IMD-7-2640 ©2025

Summary

Case B describes the unprecedented challenges faced by CO-RO in 2020. The implementation of the sugar tax in its largest Middle Eastern market led to a near 50% volume drop in CO-RO’s sales, and Covid-19 lockdowns impacted the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region in particular. These events led to a dramatic drop in net sales and gross profit, forcing CO-RO to re-evaluate its growth strategy and implement cost-saving measures. By 2022, CO-RO faced further challenges with global supply chain disruptions and inflation due to the war in Ukraine. This required strategic decisions to stabilize and ensure future growth amid ongoing external pressures.

Reference IMD-7-2640

Organization CO-RO Group

Industry Consumer Goods, Food and Beverage

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Browse all topics

CO-RO (A): Storm clouds forming

By Omar Toulan and Valerie Keller-Birrer
Case reference: IMD-7-2590 ©2025

Summary

The CO-RO Group is a manufacturer of fruit-based still drinks, concentrates and ambient ice (home-freeze popsicles) headquartered in Denmark. Although production takes place in Denmark, most of its products are sold internationally, with the company relying on long-term local partners to convert and market the finished products. Historically, the company focused on markets in which fruit-based drinks were rare, which led to steady growth in line with GDP and population increases; 70% of sales and 80% of profits came from the Middle East. Set between 2015 and 2019, Case A describes the company’s “Shape for Growth” strategy, which aimed to reduce over-reliance on key markets and resulted in new market entries and over 150 new products. This strategy also mitigated the effects of the 2014-2016 oil price crisis. However, in 2019, Saudi Arabia’s announcement of a 50% sugar tax on sweetened beverages threatened to significantly reduce market volumes.

Reference IMD-7-2590

Organization CO-RO Group

Industry Consumer Goods, Food and Beverage

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Browse all topics

TBC Group: Future proofing a history of success

By Goutam Challagalla Francis D. Kim and Philip Charles Zerrillo
Case reference: IMD-2651 ©2025

Summary

The case explores TBC Bank Group’s remarkable journey from a small Georgian bank to a regional leader in digital financial services across Central Asia. Founded in 1992 with just US$500 in initial capital, TBC evolved into Georgia’s largest financial institution and pioneered into digital banking. The case highlights TBC’s strategic expansion into Uzbekistan, where it rapidly built a leading digital banking ecosystem. Students will analyze TBC’s international growth approach as it transformed customer experience, leveraged technology and built a sustainable competitive advantage through product diversification, strong organizational culture and operational agility. The case explores international market entry, digital transformation and aligning strategies with local market needs, highlighting how TBC’s focus on innovation drives its regional expansion.

Reference IMD-2651

Organization TBC Bank Group

Industry Finance and Insurance, Banking

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Digital

Growth

Browse all topics

Nestlé Health Science: Building a healthy future towards 2030

By Niccolò Pisani Elham Pazirandeh-Micol Karine Richard Liudmila Ost and Quentin de Rham
Case reference: IMD-7-2636 ©2025

Summary

Reference IMD-7-2636

Organization Nestlé Health Science

Industry Healthcare, Health and Medical Services;Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

General Management

Global Business

Browse all topics

Female entrepreneurs’ thirst for knowledge and the dark side of customer learning actions

By Matthew R. Marvel Marcus T. Wolfe Emily Neubert Donald F. Kuratko and Sophie Bacq
in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 14 February 2025, ePub before print, https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587241311119

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Entrepreneurship

Customer Centricity

Browse all topics

Solving the puzzle of today’s multi-dimensional labor force

By Sebastian Reiche
in I by IMD 5 February 2025

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Strategy

Talent Management

Human Resources

Organizational Design

Browse all topics

Optimizing omnichannel assortments and inventory provisions under the multichannel attraction model

By Andrey Vasilyev Sebastian Maier and Ralf W. Seifert
in European Journal of Operational Research 3 February 2025, ePub before print, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2025.01.035

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

General Management

Browse all topics