Account Plan Skill
Produces a structured account plan — the document that separates account managers who grow accounts from those who just service them.
Required Inputs
- Account name
- Current ARR / revenue
- Contract renewal date
- Key contacts (names, roles, relationship strength)
- Products/services currently in use
- Known opportunities or expansion areas
- Known risks
- Planning horizon (6 / 12 / 24 months)
Output Structure
Account Plan: [Account Name]
Account Manager: [Name] | Period: [Date range]
Account Snapshot
| Metric | Current | Target (EOY) |
|---|---|---|
| ARR / Revenue | £[amount] | £[target] |
| NPS / Health score | [Score] | [Target] |
| Products in use | [List] | [Expansion targets] |
| Renewal date | [Date] | — |
| Risk level | Low / Medium / High | — |
Relationship Map
| Name | Title | Influence | Relationship | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Name] | [Role] | Decision maker / Influencer / User | Strong / Neutral / Weak | [Insight] |
Relationship gaps: [Who we do not have access to that we should] Executive sponsor: [Do we have one? If not — who could become one?]
Why They Stay (Retention Anchors)
[2-3 specific reasons this account renews. If the list is short, that is the risk signal.]
Growth Opportunities
| Opportunity | Product | Est. Value | Timeline | Next Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Opportunity] | [Product] | £[value] | [Q/Year] | [Specific action] |
Whitespace: What products do we have that this account does not use, and why?
Risks and Mitigation
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Risk] | H/M/L | H/M/L | [Action] | [Name] |
90-Day Action Plan
| Action | Why | Owner | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Specific action] | [Why it matters] | [Name] | [Date] |
Next QBR / EBR: [Date — if no EBR cadence, flag as a risk]
Success Criteria
At end of [period]:
- Renewed at or above current ARR
- [Expansion opportunity] progressed to [stage]
- Health score moved from [current] to [target]
Anti-Patterns
- Do not list only executive contacts in the relationship map — champions and day-to-day users are often more influential on renewal decisions
- Do not set growth opportunity estimates without a basis — even rough ARR values prevent the plan from being treated seriously
- Do not treat "no known risks" as acceptable — if no risks are identified, the plan hasn't been scrutinised honestly
- Do not write 90-day actions as vague aspirations ("strengthen the relationship") — each action must specify a call, meeting, or deliverable with a named owner
Quality Checks
- Relationship map identifies decision-makers, influencers, and any relationship gaps
- Risks all have mitigation actions and named owners
- Growth opportunities include estimated value (even roughly)
- 90-day actions are specific (not "have a call" — what call, with whom, to achieve what)
- Success criteria are measurable at the end of the planning period