No dealer is an island
I’ve been thinking about the Kyocera Management Principle that “Business is based on partnerships and must bring happiness to all parties.” The saying goes “No dealer is an island” and that’s never been as true as it is now. The best partnerships are beneficial for both parties and the win-win situation takes planning and hard work.
Of course, the best vendor/reseller relationships require a mutual effort to work together towards a common goal and for both parties, this requires a sincere interest in each other’s business.
In my experience, communication is key to healthy, amicable partnerships, however getting this right means asking all-encompassing questions about the business, ethos, goals, objectives and technology.
Of course, the arrival of COVID-19, the subsequent Lockdown and the ensuing severe economic impact has obviously seen a dramatic impact on our businesses, and it’s become much more complicated than just good communication.
Together we must learn to make things happen to our mutual advantage and this calls for a revision of our perspectives and approaches. Over the years, in this business I have learned that the following three things will get us through.
- Share projects and plans. By keeping each other informed and understanding the goals that drive each other’s businesses, we can all provide support that is beneficial for all parties.
- Shift the relationship from reactive to strategic. It is hard to remain strategic whilst there is a huge economic downturn, but it doesn’t help to step into overdrive only when there is a crisis. A strategic approach helps all of us to ensure competitive advantage in the long run.
- Spend as much time, if not more, on our relationship as you would on your customers.
In the end, understanding the value of relationships and making the effort to connect, will ensure that we survive and thrive.
Lee-Ann Kellner - Channel Sales Manager - KYOCERA Document Solutions South Africa
