A magazine editor asked me. Here is my response.
The outfits that come closest are those that have to do it as a legal and ethical requirement: my financial advisor, attorney, tax accountant, physicians, dentist, and so on.
Among business marketers, a good local example is Arrow Business Printing in Austin, where Bob and LaDonna Enochs and their staff do my printing. They pay attention, remember my preferences, make helpful suggestions, perform admirably, and are genuinely nice people. Does this constitute a “relationship” in the 1-1 marketing sense? Perhaps. But in reality, it’s more a series of above average, cordial and friendly transactions. That’s exactly what I want from my printer and that’s why I intend to stay with them.
Among the bigger companies, relationship marketing is tenuous at best. IBM tries, sending relevant but not individualized small business news and promotions, and not sending mammoth mainframe stuff. AT&T communicates only by mass mailings and is especially difficult to talk with. They have an infuriating, automated call router that all but prevents live communication … the very service they sell!
Relationship marketing for Microsoft Partners? Do not confuse one-way or occasional communication with a relationship. Until you’re doing business with a customer, you don’t have a relationship.
© 2009
About the author: Michael A. Brown publishes the Business To Business By Phone newsletter and runs the company of the same name in Austin, Texas. 800 373-3966 www.michaelabrown.net
Editor’s note: This article was published last week in our October 2009 Newsletter. If you’d like to subscribe to the newsletter and/or magazine, click here.
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