Life as a KAM

«Being in contact with the customer is a privilege, because from there you see the end of the process, the result of all the company’s work». Giacomo Conti became Key Account Manager at Enel Energia in 2015, after a long career at ENEL, which, as an electrical engineer, had allowed him to experience almost every aspect of this world: power plants, testing, safety, planning. The sales world that Giacomo discovered since becoming a KAM is very different; to navigate it, one needs a complex mix of market knowledge and understanding of people. «In this job you need empathy, the ability to build dialogue and trust with clients, attention to others», Angelo Segreto tells us, who became Key Account Manager in 2018, after a path as Channel Manager for the South Area. Giacomo and Angelo do the same job in different geographical areas, Emilia and Sicily, and are our guides in the world of KAMs, the managers at Enel Energia who are responsible for the sale of energy services to companies.

«Sales is an activity of energy coaching towards businesses. In my portfolio there are both large industries and small artisans, they are all fundamental in creating a reputation, which always starts from dialogue», explains Conti. The KAM is not just a seller of energy, but also a consultant, a guide to orient oneself in a complex market. «The goal of this coaching is to work together in search of a winning position for both. I use a fashionable expression, very effective: the best contract is always win-win, in a wide commercial network the client’s interest coincides with yours». A fair price and a good margin ensure that the client is satisfied and that their relationship with Enel Energia is long-lasting, a success for both parties, a coaching gone well. «I discovered a vocation for sales at a certain point in my path, it opened up fascinating and complex worlds, full of nuances, that were lost in my previous job as an engineer».

Segreto has always known his commercial inclination: ten years of work in direct sales, first KAM approach in 2006 as support. He began his Key Account activity in the areas of Enna and Caltanissetta, today he covers Palermo and Messina. He tells us the process from the beginning: «A fundamental part of the job is scouting, the search for clients, getting in touch with the person in charge or the administrator of the company, starting a conversation».
Introducing oneself, setting up an appointment, initiating the relationship and building empathy: a huge part of the work of KAMs has to do with people. Coaching is not just explaining the market and selling a product, but also helping potential clients understand how their consumption is structured, talking with them about what is unclear and what can be improved. «Energy bills are a complex text, we read them together to find together the way towards a more advanced use of resources».

Angelo has had a very long career, he was 19 years old when he joined ENEL thanks to a competition. It was 1991, and in these thirty years he has seen the world change, the energy market, the attitude of clients. «Today the attention to sustainability from companies is at its maximum. Part of our consultancy is dedicated to this, helping them pollute less, to have a use of energy sources more respectful of the planet and the environment. It’s something we focus on a lot and that they care a lot about». There is one aspect that hasn’t changed since 1991, the real constant of all these years: «The Enel brand is very strong, it inspires security, stability, the feeling that every problem will be solved». It is a truth that holds across Italy, in Palermo as in Bologna. «In people’s minds there are still echoes of economic development, of the electrification of the country», confirms Giacomo, «When Enel brought you the light and the customer was waiting with a warm plate of pasta. That feeling is still alive, the logo of Enel Energia inspires an ancient trust, which is linked to the past, but also knows how to act as a bridge with new generations».