The perfect customer must also have the perfect rep.

The perfect customer-rep relationship occurs when the customer and the rep have mutual respect. This customer is not necessarily the largest client of the rep. The key component is not the dollar volume, but rather the wonderful relationship that has been developed by both parties over a period of time. This relationship does take time and cannot be rushed into or faked in any way. The relationship must be authentic. Usually at the beginning of the business relationship, both parties “see” a potential wonderful business relationship. Both parties know they need each other and want to work together so they both are happy and they appreciate what the other person does.

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When problems do arise — and both parties know this will happen — they discuss the situation in a professional manner and resolve the issue together. They both know that problems will most likely arise from both parties. The client knows that his company may place a purchase order too late and then have to ask the rep for help in speeding up delivery. The client knows his company may order the wrong product. The rep knows that problems will come up regarding delivery and sometimes problems with the quality of the products. The fact is, both parties act as grown-ups and know that every business has problems. However, both parties know how to work as a team to solve every issue. Because both parties know each other so well, they look out for each other by double checking each purchase order and double checking each order acknowledgement from the factory to try to minimize problems. The parties do not blame each other when problems arise. They simply work as teammates to take care of any issue that arises.

Knowing the Other’s Business

The client and the rep know a lot about each other’s business, their families, and about each other. They are much more than just someone being a client and someone being a rep. They are business friends. They share information about themselves and their families. They share hardships they are encountering and they do their best to help each other through difficult times. They truly care about each other and are constantly working towards a mutually beneficial relationship.

The client and the rep both appreciate what the other does. The rep knows the client has many choices when it comes to purchasing products or services that are in the same category as what the rep sells. They discuss all this openly. The client knows and understands all of the great work that the rep does on behalf of the client. The rep knows that the client is doing his best to give every possible order to the rep. The client wants to give the orders to the rep, because the client knows that the rep will “take it from there,” and after the order is placed, the rep will handle every detail of the order and the rep will constantly keep the client updated on the status of the order. The client loves this because once the order is placed, the client can move on to other things because he has total confidence in the rep to oversee the order until the order has been delivered and the rep knows the client is satisfied.

Growing Business — Together

The client and the rep help each other grow their businesses. They discuss and offer constructive ideas that may help the other. They truly care about each other. They both do their best to refer prospective clients to each other.

They have fun working together and sometimes do things together outside of business. They may do things together as families. Neither person feels that there is really any “sales” going on. The client knows the rep is a salesperson but the client also knows that the rep is really doing what is in the best interest of the client. The rep knows that he does not have to “sell” to this client. The rep’s job is to be an advisor and problem solver to the customer by recommending the best products, from his line, that will help the client solve the issues he has at that moment.

The attitude of the client and the rep are both wonderful. They really want to have a strong business relationship and they know how important each of them is to the other. They treat each other with total respect. Integrity is at the highest level. Neither person is trying to cheat or take advantage of the other.

It always feels so wonderful, for both parties, when this type of client-rep relationship exists. Both parties appreciate the wonderful relationship and know that they must both work on the business relationship at all times for the benefit of everyone involved.

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