Relationship management
The foundation for any successful customer / service provider relationship is a common understanding and commitment to agreed objectives. There also has to be a clear incentive to both parties to work through issues and improve quality. Quantifiable and clear measures are important, too. And in a true sense of partnership, each party is responsible for each other’s successes. Other important drivers include the need for constant mutual senior executive sponsorship. Better still - strong, passionate, clear, unwavering sponsorship, committed to collaboration that creates value beyond anything stated in the contract.
Yet one ingredient that is often overlooked, or at least not given the necessary level of commitment required by both parties, is the strategic impact of the individuals - the ‘relationship managers’ - that represent the parties in the relationship on a daily basis.
If they are weak or unsupported, the relationship at best will sub-optimise. More seriously, far from being the conduit for collaborative understanding, they can be the blocker and cause of failure.
Many different skills are required to be an effective relationship manager. And different capabilities have particular importance as the relationship matures.
Relationship Management Capabilities and Behaviours Framework
From working with relationship managers for both major customer and service provider organisations in Europe, N & S America, India and China, GBPA has developed its Relationship Management Capabilities and Behaviours Framework. This enables organisations to identify the capabilities and behaviours that are crucial to their relationship managers, and to facilitate their development.
GBPA’s learning clinics give individuals in customer and service provider organisations the opportunity to develop and practice key relationship management capabilities and behaviours, and to explore particular challenges in their key relationships.
To explore your relationship management needs, please contact us
Read more about effective relationship management, in: Relationship manager – weakest link or a strong zipper? Read