For B2B companies, there are fewer customers and losing just one could cost thousands of dollars. The sales cycle is multistage and long. Customers and influencers need to be educated because decisions are evaluated, rational and business-based.
If you accept that premise, then you can also more clearly see and understand why ignoring or mismanaging your customer relationships poses a significant risk to your business. In today’s environment, where customers are precious and the competition for their business is fierce, a customer relationship management capability is no longer a luxury — it’s a requirement.
The reality is that your distribution partners barely have enough time to focus on your brand and products. They’re representing hundreds of other companies and thousands of other products. If they can hardly focus on your products, then they certainly can’t (and don’t) spend time developing, managing and growing customer relationships on your behalf. They build customer relationships for themselves, not for you!
Don’t make the mistake of assuming someone else is managing your customers like you would. Mitigate the risk of losing customers, create a competitive advantage and grow your business by acknowledging that relationships matter. Partner with Element and commit to the development of an integrated, customer-centric, data-driven marketing initiative.