Simply
put: we want to help move each of our Clients' internal and external Client relationships away from
Transaction-Driven Relationships and intoConsultative Partnerships.
Client Relationships typically fall into one
of four types:
-
Transactional
-
Commercial
-
Advisory
-
Consultative
Partnership
The first two are essentially price driven.
An Advisory relationship means that you become one of perhaps several advisors that a given client uses in a
specific field. Price is less of an issue but still figures. Your referral power is limited because the client
sees you in a limited Role in your main field of expertise.
When you develop a
Consultative
Partnership, the Client seeks your advice about any and
all aspects of their business.
There are three main strategic benefits to
this Client Management Model. These
are:
- Once you have moved your Role from a
“Transaction Driven Relationship” into a Consultative Partnership, you are viewed by clients as a critical
avenue to their success. This perception enables you to maximize your profits because price is no longer the main driving issue.
- Your “Team Work” with the client
improves vastly and as a result, you can move “up the Food Chain” from lower level manager to Senior
Economic Buyer (i.e., the person who “writes the cheque”) and- as a direct result- you are no longer
selling “Process” (i.e., how you get the job done) you are
selling “Solutions Delivery” (i.e., providing viable solutions
to client’s problems).
- Your relationship with the client
becomes one of “Trusted Advisor.” This not only eliminates much of the “politics of business,” it also
creates a powerful and immediate barrier to entry against competition.
|