Building Advantage: Managing Customer Alliances By Professional Distance

Abstract

One of the crucial factors in customer alliances is maintaining independence in the generation of value-added service solutions. Much is known about customer relationship management (CRM) but there is a lack of understanding on just how to effectively engage or manage customers in knowledge services. In this chapter, “professional distance” is presented as a relational mechanism for effectively balancing the competing tensions of intimacy and objectivity in customer alliances. Professional distance is critical in knowledge services relationships for maintaining engagement personnel independence and optimizing the alliance. Professional distance discussed in the chapter extends the well known customer relationship management (CRM) which does not adequately address the complex issues in customer alliances.