Service providers, manufacturers and suppliers are always asking customers to be loyal. They tell us: buy our products and services. Be loyal to us. Don’t buy from a competitor. As a rule, we expect something in return…loyalty from the service provider, manufacturer, or supplier.
So, what’s the problem? Loyalty is ONE WAY. I have to confess. I didn’t think about it this way. A colleague I know and respect told me he was wrestling with this issue and finally looked it up in the dictionary. I did too. Hold onto your seats. Loyalty IS one way. Definition: Loyalty to the king. Loyalty to a vow. Being faithful to an oath or obligations.
There is NOTHING that says loyalty is, has to be, or should be reciprocated. I was shocked.
So, what should we be talking about? PARTNERSHIP. Our service providers, manufacturers and suppliers should be our partners. They should have an interest in seeing that we succeed in business and give us the help we need…assuming that we are willing to listen with an open ear and take action. If we succeed, they succeed. The better our sales skills, business skills, and communications skills are, the better we can purchase more products and services as well as pay our bills on time.
Partnerships work. The successful service providers, suppliers, and manufacturers whom I have worked with in the past really try to be partners. For everyone to succeed it has to be win-win
We at Ribbon are not asking for your loyalty. We are asking to be your partner. We strive to give you access to information when and where you want it that will help you reach your goals. When this occurs, we ask that you you tell your colleagues about us and make the time to access the programs that meet your needs.
Let us know how we are doing!