By Oliver Rueter
Are kick-off events, annual planning and jour fixe meetings enough for a deeper understanding of the “pain points” that drive customers?
In my experience, the relationship management toolkit creates the functional framework for business-as-usual. However, more is needed for a long-term partnership that is understood and experienced as profitable on both sides.
Particularly in times of crisis, customers are looking for solutions that cannot be found in the order description to the logistics service provider.
For example, in the chemical industry, where CretschmarCargo Süd has been at home for decades, with a focus on Germany and Spain.
For us as logistics specialists, it is not just a matter of managing storage and transportation processes. The question goes beyond this:
How can supply bottlenecks and delays, for example due to the attack by the Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, be avoided?
What contribution can we make to sustainably reducing the CO2 impact in our customers’ supply chains?
Which IT solutions can be used to increase security and transparency in the supply process?
In my view, you need to know what moves customers in these times:
👉 Trusting and long-term relationships that ensure a deep understanding of customer dynamics
👉 Personal responsibility and proximity that can probably only be found in owner-managed companies (the customer must not become a number)
👉 Flexible and forward-looking action (anticipating current developments and relevant innovations)
I try to reduce video conferences and emails to a healthy level in order to gain time for personal discussions with our customers.
And how well do you know your customers?
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