Category 1: "Implementation of a disciplined process to quantify and monetize specific customer value solutions"

Winner:  AVI-SPL

• Became the first global single source AV/collaboration supplier in strategic customer’s history
• From vendor/solutions provider to “IBM-like partner” on go-forward basis
• Customer TCO savings of $5.5m and monetized productivity increase of $11.9m
• Year-over-year growth of 346% with strategic customer

“Great example of how SAM [programs] should be designed and implemented - start small and demonstrate the program approach through best practices.” 
    - A 2019 Excellence Awards judge 

Category 2: "Implementation of specific customer engagement strategies enabling, and successfully impacting, the co-value creation process"

Co-winner: Premier/Merck

• Three simultaneous co-developed projects in various stages of implementation with Merck
• New commercial opportunities for each organization and increased relationship intimacy between strategic partners

“Demonstrates strong SAM processes with significant engagement throughout in both organizations, while focusing on gains for both parties and the customers’ customer.” 
    - A 2019 Excellence Awards judge

Co-winner: Air Liquide

• Established prioritized list of proofs of concept, with assigned accountable individuals on each side and agreed-upon development roadmap
• Established broad, fully co-created development project
• Customer has invited Air Liquide delegations to own initiatives normally devoted to customer’s own customers.

“Good relationships build trust, and trust creates cultures of innovation. This is a great example of proactive co-creation.” 
    - A 2019 Excellence Awards judge

Category 3: "Outstanding young SAM program of the year (<5 years)"

Winner: AVI-SPL

• 225% year over year growth for 12 strategic accounts in the portfolio
• SA portfolio grew from 10% of total company bookings to 15% in first year, despite overall company growth
• More than $16 millions in documented savings for 12 SAs due to improved space utilization, more intuitive conference technology solutions, hardware buildout savings and reduced internal support needs.

“Good, specific customer examples of implementation success were provided to support their program goals. Monetization of effort was apparent, and the growth rate of these 12 highly selective accounts proves the strategy, program design/concept, approach and results are there. I felt customer-centricity throughout this application, and I rated them accordingly.” 
    - A 2019 Excellence Awards judge

Category 4: "Outstanding mature SAM program of the year (>5 years)"

Winner: Johnson Controls, Inc.

• Double-digit year over year growth since program inceptions
• The development of the innovation centers and the Digital Solutions team enables JCI to bring leading-edge software developers and data scientists to help their customers innovate through digitization.
• Through their customer-focused initiatives, JCI has the platforms, the real-time 24x7 data and the data scientists to support the SAMs by leveraging data analytics, AI and machine learning techniques to develop unique and novel insights for their customers.

Category 5: "SAMA Global Customer-Centricity Award"

Winner: Boehringer Ingelheim

• 22% of Integrated Delivery Networks rate their relationship with BI as “strategic” or “collaborative.”
• Increased ranking from 6th to 4th for “Partner of Choice” in industry survey of IDN customer evaluations of account manager skills and overall quality.
• Demonstrated cross-functional collaborative implementation with sales & marketing integration and bringing cross-functional teams in to train
• Net sales from strategic accounts rose from 20% of total sales in 2016 to 28%.

“Good focus on partnering to create to solutions to relevant business problems. Demonstrated scalability to program, good story and effort around internal transformation. Bravo!” 
    - A 2019 Excellence Awards judge