“Everybody’s got to eat” is a fun phrase from a conversation I had with one of our key customers and partners. We were talking about partnerships and customer relationships, all in the realm of being fair to everybody.
Partnerships should be a win-win relationship. Everybody’s got to eat: you, your partner, your customer, your company, etc. To make the partnership work, everyone needs to do well. Each person wins, provides value, and creates more opportunities in the future.
You can’t make things so one-sided that somebody feels like they’re losing. You may see it that way on social media, the show Shark Tank, or other areas where people try to take advantage of others. From my experience, that is not the best way. One-sided partnerships are not how we operate at Service Express.
The best relationships, connections and customers are true partners. We work together to find the right solution at the right cost. They get the solution they want at a price they’re looking for, and we’re able to provide it to them at a fair price to us so that we can make our margin.
Our best customers tell me, “We want you to make money. We want you to do well. We want you to stay in business. We want you to keep reinvesting in the company so that you can continue to support us.” These incredible partners see the long-term view of the relationship. No one is taking advantage of the other!
Partnerships share the same principles. Whether we’re the ones receiving the service or delivering it, the partnership needs to be fair to everybody. That’s how you build long-term, strategic relationships that are the foundation of building a great business.
The phrase “Everybody’s got to eat” stuck with me, and I hope it sticks with you too. It’s a good one to remember and teach your teams!
