I don't care! - relationships are overrated

Relationships do not matter, at least not as much as we make out. We should put more effort in to doing good things and talking about it i.e. strong propositions and communications.

By Baba Awopetu on Jan 26, 2009

Relationships do not matter, at least not as much as we make out. We should put more effort in to doing good things and talking about it i.e. strong propositions and communications. As our environment exerts ethical scrutiny on us, our old "relationship building techniques" will be ineffective.

Customers want and need value, and those that can deliver and communicate clear value will win. I recently had to purchase a car and a friend worked in a show room and he made me a good offer. However a comparable offer was made by a stranger in another show room. One small difference was the price which was much less with stranger for the same value i.e. a better proposition. Whom do you think I bought from?

Customers buy propositions not people and even though they buy from people, in the end this is a way of increasing trust level. You can achieve this via a strong proposition. Relationship is a hygeine factor and comes at a price. It is a cop out for a mediocre proposition and sometimes a sign of an undifferentiated offer. No relationship will get me to buy a medocre product rather than one that genuinely adds value. Smiling faces are great but only when they are part of the problem I am trying to solve.