A customer relationship template

The relationship template relies on the same principles as the tools used for developing business models called the The Business Model Canvas (BMC) which was designed by Alexander Osterwalder¹ will help us to plan our sales activities and determine how contact should be managed in order to close the sales process or to maintain a good relationship with the customer.

How do we work with the template?

The template is useful in four specific situations:

1. While developing a partnership deal
2. Before and during all contacts with the customer prior to signing an agreement
3. When looking for ways to improve company-customer relations
4. In resolving crisis situations

The main objective of this template is to set standards for our company. For example, if we have succeeded in gaining the interest of a director of a clothing franchise company who is still comparing offers, we may use the template to prepare relevant arguments before the first meeting.

Customer field – we determine the customer’s readiness to make a purchase – if the customer seems more committed, then the relationship requires more attention. Motivation field – we write down the customer’s business goals. If we understand them precisely, we can then improve our chances of making a successful sale by enhancing our negotiations. If, during our analysis of the motivation of our customer we come to realise that the customer would need training in how to use our invoicing software, then we should include such a support offer as one of our major sales proposals. Similarly, the customer may request that our agency prepare a TV commercial campaign, while their actual goal refers to the greater commitment of the target group, in which case an e-marketing campaign would be a better solution. The customer will appreciate us more if we offer such alternatives, as it demonstrates that we have clearly understood their needs.

Competition field – we look for ways to make our offer exceptional. This analysis is best performed at the stage of the offer. If we can observe that another company in our sector offers no product samples, then offering such samples increases our chances of acquiring that customer.

Situation field – we determine what the customer’s expectations towards our company are.

Solutions field – we finally decide what needs to be done for our actions to have a positive impact on our relationship with a particular customer.

Tasks field – based on the responses from the previous field, we define tasks for particular team members.

Practical application of the template

If the sales process in our company is especially complex, we may apply the relationship template to verify which potential customer-related activities are the most reasonable. By using the template to predict how a situation will develop, we can also avoid disappointment due to poor decision making. The template may be especially useful for B2B-type sales, where there are multiple decision makers and the negotiations may take months. The following is a good example of the application of the template in a B2B setting.

A company supplies gas heat pumps, and wishes to provide a heating installation for a school in a medium-sized town. Its products are more effective than those of its competitors, which is reflected in the higher prices. At a template session the sales team considers how to persuade the headmaster to invest in a better but more expensive heating system. They determine that the headmaster’s major motivation for the purchase involves support in the installation process and in the maintenance of the system. However, the school is also interested in lowering the costs of energy consumption in the longer term. They persuade a local plumbing system company to agree to cooperate concerning maintenance services if the company receives this order. Furthermore, they prepare a report for the school that calculates the returns on the investment from the system for the next five years based on data from a system installed in a similar building.

Application of the template at the stage of regular cooperation with the customer

In the IT industry, service providers frequently encounter the problem of delays in the customer’s acceptance of particular stages of work. Brainstorming sessions using the template can help to establish the facts and find a suitable solution. For instance, the customer’s coordinator may have insufficient time to manage the software implementation project, because the management board requires regular reports from him. The IT company team may take the initiative, offering to produce these reports and thus reducing the obligations of the coordinator, aiding the faster implementation of the project.

Our sales results depend largely on how well we treat our customers. With the relationship template we can develop a relevant sales strategy that is adapted to the customers’ actual needs. As a result, these preparations help us to achieve more positive relationships between all parties, which in turn is reflected in better and longer lasting business relationships.

Exercises