CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

Exploring the benefits of a customer relationship at its deepest level

By our News Team | 2022

It is extremely important for businesses and sales professionals to understand how customer relationships develop between people.

Ensuring long-term and productive customer relationships is important for the continuity of business. And customer relationships are always forged between people, even if it is in the context of doing business. 

Especially in relationship selling, where the aim is to maintain productive and long-term customer relationships, it is extremely important for businesses and sales professionals to understand how customer relationships develop between people.

Customer Relationships

Photo by Olia Danilevich from Pexels

However, earlier academic studies have not been able to explain why, and by which mechanism, some customer relationships deepen, while others don’t.

Now a study conducted by the University of Eastern Finland and published in the peer-reviewed European Journal of Marketing explores long-term business-to-business (B2B) customer relationships, and how and to what end, such relationships are forged in B2B sales.

Applying the social penetration theory, the researchers were particularly interested in how self-disclosure, and weighing the benefits and disadvantages of the customer relationship, either deepened the relationship or didn’t. For the study, the researchers interviewed 47 professionals working in B2B sales.

Good customer relationships happen in three phases

The study showed that long-term and productive customer relationships develop in three phases: first, business partners became collaborative partners and, ultimately, collaborative and personal partners. 

Sales professionals and customers disclosed things about their personal life and about their company. Both of these domains of self-disclosure deepened as the customer relationship deepened: the things disclosed initially were rather superficial, but became deeper as the relationship deepened and included topics such as divorce, bankruptcy, personal values and future business plans.

Some sales professionals, however, felt that they did not wish to share anything about their personal life with the customer. This could have been due to a lack of trust, a desire to maintain strict personal boundaries, or the fact that the customer did not come off as the type of person they’d want to socialise with outside work.

The benefits of a customer relationship in its deepest level were many compared to the initial phase. Trust grew deeper, communication became effortless, it was easier to decide and commit to common goals, as well as to manage conflicts. Sales professionals felt that they had gained benefits in the form of time savings, cost benefits, increased self-confidence, and more efficient work.

In simple terms, the research confirmed that the deepest customer relationships increased trust and commitment to common goals.

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    Dr Kin Kariisa

    Group CEO - Next Media

    Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
    With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
    Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

    Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

    Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

    • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
    • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
    • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
    • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.