How to Build a Customer Relationship Map: Grow Revenue and Have Fun Doing It
Most account managers know they're supposed to "know their customer." Few have an actual system for what that means or how to prove it.
Dan Horowitz, Head of US Sales & Account Management at Taboola, joins Alex Raymond to break down how to build a customer relationship map that protects revenue instead of just decorating a slide. Dan explains that strong account management starts with the fundamentals, including a red-yellow-green heat map of the relationships across an account, not just the one champion who takes your calls. He uses the example of "Susie," where an entire relationship depends on a single person who could leave the company tomorrow.
Dan also walks through creative account management strategies his teams have used to move relationships from transactional to strategic customer relationships, including a Yahoo Mail partnership with Walmart that lets users order groceries with one click, and a digital Super Bowl squares game built for Pizza Hut. Both started with an account manager who knew the customer well enough to spot an opportunity nobody else saw.
He also gets specific on how to know your customer in account management, right down to the language your customer's industry uses, and why hospitality in account management (borrowed straight from restaurateurs Danny Meyer and Will Guidara) might matter more than another QBR deck.
If you want a real framework for how to build a customer relationship map instead of another vague reminder to "know your customer," this episode gives you one. Press play and steal it for your next account plan.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Dan Horowitz's Mandate to Grow Revenue
02:30 The Art of Account Management Versus the Science
09:03 Inside Taboola's Account Management Structure and Focus
12:41 Small Steps Versus Big Leaps in Customer Growth
17:41 The Walmart and Yahoo Mail Grocery Partnership Story
19:05 How to Know Your Customer and Map Relationships
33:14 The Pizza Hut Super Bowl Squares Innovation
38:08 Hospitality and Moving From Transactional to Strategic
41:05 Risk Registers, Psychological Safety, and Celebrating Wins
49:35 Advice for Account Managers Ready to Leap
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