Strategic account relationships don’t just face commercial risks — they’re also vulnerable to breakdowns in trust, training, and internal morale. In this SAM/KAM mini-case, Winston James, Technical Manager at HighRisk Products, is caught in the fallout of a failed process upgrade with supplier ProcessMaster. What begins as a technical problem escalates into a reputation and relationship crisis.
This case offers a realistic exploration of change resistance, poor training implementation, and how leadership behaviour (on both sides) can either inflame or resolve difficult situations.
Key Scenario Highlights
- ProcessMaster’s new process implementation fails during parallel testing
- The trainer publicly accuses shop floor staff of sabotage in front of HR
- Winston expels the consultant from site and escalates to senior leadership
- A post-mortem is scheduled while Winston races to meet customer orders using the old process
Lessons for KAM Teams
- Blame escalates tension: Public accusations only inflame resistance and damage client perception
- Trust must be rebuilt through humility, responsiveness, and visible senior support
- Effective KAMs should be empowered to offer compensation, arrange retraining, and engage workers directly
- Repair moments can strengthen long-term relationships — if handled correctly
How to Use This Case
- Explore how your teams would handle post-failure accountability and support
- Discuss change resistance in operational environments and how to work with — not against — the workforce
- Evaluate the balance between technical delivery and stakeholder management
Insight
“Sometimes the best account managers aren’t the ones who avoid problems — they’re the ones who fix them with integrity and calm.” – Professor Malcolm McDonald
Download the Mini-Case
This summary captures the relationship dynamics, but the full case includes the scenario narrative, a proposed resolution path, and discussion prompts for training use.
Reproduced with kind permission from Dr Beth Rogers.