2.3 Account Plan: Expansion Map, Stakeholders, Renewal Roadmap

A static account is a dying account. In manufacturing, if you are not growing your share of the customer's wallet, a competitor is actively qualifying a second source to replace you. The Account Plan is not an administrative exercise; it is the engineering drawing for revenue retention and growth. It converts "relationship management" into a structured mechanism for capturing valid demand and locking out competition.

Stakeholder Mapping (The Control Circuit)

An org chart tells you who reports to whom. A Stakeholder Map tells you how decisions are actually made. You must identify the signal flow: who generates the requirement, who validates the technical feasibility, and who releases the funds.

If you only talk to the Buyer → Then you are a commodity vendor vulnerable to a $0.01 price cut.

If you align with Engineering and Operations → Then you become a strategic partner.

Map every key individual into one of four quadrants:

Role	Definition	Engagement Strategy
Economic Buyer	Controls the budget (VP Ops / CFO).	Focus on ROI, working capital reduction, and risk mitigation.
Technical User	Defines specs (Eng Manager / Quality).	Focus on process capability (Cpk), yield data, and DFM support.
Coach/Champion	Internal advocate who guides you.	Arm them with data to sell your value internally.
Blocker	Prefers the competitor or status quo.	Neutralize by overwhelming them with objective performance data.

Pro-Tip: Identify the "Shadow Power." Often, a Senior NPI Engineer has more veto power over a supplier selection than the Procurement Manager. If Engineering hates your process, Purchasing cannot save you.

The Expansion Map (Growth Vectors)

Growth does not happen by accident. You must engineer it by targeting specific "White Space" in the customer’s supply chain. Divide opportunities into two vectors:

Vector A: Share of Wallet (Volume)

• Target: Existing SKUs currently built by competitors or in-house.
• Strategy: "Consolidation for Efficiency." Propose that moving 100% of volume to your facility reduces their logistics overhead and improves volume pricing leverage.

Vector B: Value Chain Climbing (Complexity)

• Target: Moving from PCBA (board level) to Box Build (finished goods).
• Strategy: "Vertical Integration." Demonstrate that you can handle the enclosure, final assembly, and packaging, eliminating the customer’s need to manage multiple integration points.

Decision Logic for Targeting:

• If Customer is launching a Gen-2 product → Then target NPI engagement immediately (T-6 months).
• If Customer is cost-sensitive on legacy products → Then propose a VAVE (Value Analysis/Value Engineering) redesign in exchange for exclusivity.

Renewal & Volume Roadmap

Do not wait for the contract expiration date to discuss renewal. That is a failure of planning that leads to leverage loss. Treat the contract as a living production schedule.

The "Rolling 4-Quarter" Lock

Replace the annual negotiation battle with a rolling commitment structure.

• Q1 (Now): Firm Orders (Non-cancellable).
• Q2: Material Authorization (Liability accepted).
• Q3-Q4: Capacity Reservation (Soft forecast).

The Renewal Trigger:

Initiate renewal discussions 6 months prior to expiration.

Leverage Point: Use Lead Times. "To guarantee silicon supply for next year's build, we need the Master Supply Agreement (MSA) extension signed by [Date]."

The Account Plan One-Pager

Complexity kills execution. The account strategy must fit on a single page, visible to your internal ops and finance teams.

Header: Customer Name | Annual Revenue | Margin % | Contract Expiry

Quadrant 1: Health Check

• OTIF: [Current %]
• Quality: [Current DPPM]
• Relationship Status: [Secure / Risk / Churn]

Quadrant 2: The Goal (12-Month Targets)

• Revenue Target: $[Value]
• Share of Wallet: [Current %] → [Target %]
• Key Win: [Specific Project/SKU to win]

Quadrant 3: Strategic Actions (The "How")

• Action 1: Qualify Box Build line for Product X.
• Action 2: Resolve Quality Issue Y to unlock NPI allocation.
• Action 3: Secure Executive Sponsor meeting for QBR.

Quadrant 4: Risk Watchlist

• Competitor activity.
• Credit limit saturation.
• Key stakeholder turnover.

Opportunity Backlog

Maintain a live register of potential growth, distinct from the active forecast. This is your "Hunting List."

Opportunity Name	Stage	Est. Annual Value	Probability	Next Step
Project Alpha NPI	Tech Review	$500k	40%	Submit DFM Report.
Cable Assembly	Quoting	$120k	60%	Match competitor price.
Logistics Hub	Discovery	$50k (Service)	20%	Draft proposal.

Final Checklist

Control Point	Passing Criteria	State
Stakeholder Map	"Economic Buyer" identified and engaged in last 3 months.	Yes / No
Pipeline Validity	At least 3 opportunities in the backlog with values attached.	Verified
Contract Alert	Renewal date is visible; discussion scheduled if < 6 months.	Set
Internal Sync	Ops Director has reviewed and approved the growth volume.	Approved