Customer Relationship Management Related Things That Matter and Possible Improvement Actions
Use this page to explore what effective customer relationship management can involve and to find practical ideas that may help. It is a source of insight and inspiration, not a checklist that every organisation should implement in full.
Start wherever it is most useful. Explore the Things That Matter to understand an issue more fully, or go straight to the possible improvement actions. Select and adapt only the actions that fit the relationship, risk or opportunity currently in view.
Related Things That Matter
1Portfolio, purpose and relationship intent
Visibility across the whole customer portfolioTTM-01 Knowing where relationships are strong, weak, thin, deteriorating or largely absent across all material customers, not only the most visible accounts.
Detail
A strong relationship with one major customer can create a misleading sense that customer relationship management is working well overall. What matters is having a usable view across the customer base that reveals concentration, neglect, dependency, vulnerability and unrealised potential. This does not require the same depth of assessment for every customer: a lighter portfolio view can identify which relationships merit closer attention. It should also make visible the customers with little meaningful connection, because an almost non-existent relationship can be commercially significant even when there is no active dispute or poor score to attract attention.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 1 – Awareness makes this an explicit domain requirement: its leading maturity description calls for a relationship strategy that includes segmentation and prioritisation, while its What/Why/Evidence material calls for relationships to be separated so attention is focused where collaboration will add value. The BMA CRM item refers to key customers but offers no way to see whether the rest of the portfolio is weak or ignored. This Thing That Matters therefore sits before detailed relationship evaluation and prevents one excellent account from masking wider exposure.
Source
RelEX Step 1 – Awareness, maturity A and What/Why/Evidence: 'Segregated relationships'
Related possible improvement actions
Clarity about the level and extent of each relationshipTTM-02 Being clear whether a relationship concerns the whole customer, a business unit, programme, site, project, team, product, service or particular interface.
Detail
A relationship described only as one company dealing with another can be too broad to understand or improve. The meaningful scope may be a programme team, an operating site, a product family, an in-service support activity or a specific commercial and technical interface. The level chosen should match where the work is experienced and where participants have enough knowledge and authority to make changes. Clear scope also prevents a positive relationship in one part of a customer from being assumed to represent every other part.
Domain source basis
RMR section 2.1 explicitly says the relationship should be defined at company, business unit, project or team level and, for large organisations, by site or location; it warns that an excessively high-level assessment produces broad 'motherhood' actions with little focus. The RMM instructions similarly require the specified team, group or organisation to be made clear. SCRIA Chapter 6 narrows its Relationship Evaluation Tool to the relationship as it applies to a specific product or service. Together, these sources make clarity of scope a precondition for credible insight and actionable improvement.
Source
RMR 2.1 – Relationship Definition; RMM Questionnaire – Instructions for Use, item 2; SCRIA Chapter 6 – 'What the Tool Can and Cannot do'.
Related possible improvement actions
Customer relationship segmentation and prioritisationTTM-03 Distinguishing relationships according to their importance, potential, dependency, risk, complexity and appropriate level of attention.
Detail
At a minimum, key customers need to be distinguished from the rest; a more useful view may also recognise developmental, core delivery, transactional, vulnerable and declining relationships. Current revenue alone is not enough: future opportunity, programme criticality, switching difficulty, concentration risk and the consequences of failure may alter the priority. Segmentation should determine the type and intensity of relationship management rather than merely producing a list of customers that receive preferential treatment. Priorities should be reviewed as programmes, markets and dependencies change.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 1 – Awareness requires segmentation and prioritisation within relationship strategy and calls for an implementation approach for each selected relationship type. Its scoring guide defines an 'appropriate relationship' by the strategic importance of each party, scope of supply and potential benefits. RMR section 2.8 similarly says the desired relationship style should fit the business being transacted and future objectives. These sources support differentiated management rather than one undifferentiated CRM process for every customer.
Source
RelEX Step 1 – Awareness; RelEX Notes and scoring guide – 'Appropriate Relationship'; RMR 2.8 – Agree the 'To-Be' Target.
Related possible improvement actions
Setting achievable relationship ambitionsTTM-04 Agreeing a desired kind and level of relationship that fits the business need, mutual value, risk and the customer's willingness to participate.
Detail
Closer collaboration is not automatically better, and it may not be attainable in every customer relationship. A well-run transactional relationship can be entirely appropriate, while a supposed strategic partnership may exist only in presentations and create expectations neither party will meet. Ambitions should therefore reflect what is useful, proportionate and realistic now, with interim steps where a stronger relationship may be worth earning over time. Where a customer does not wish to engage, the supplier can still improve its own readiness and decide what minimum relationship conditions are needed to protect delivery and future opportunity.
Domain source basis
RelEX's 'Appropriate Relationship' note describes a range from close partnering to transactional relationships and explicitly recognises rare cases where a customer does not deem engagement necessary. RelEX Step 4 – Partner Selection also says the appropriate relationship must take account of the partner's willingness to collaborate. RMR section 2.8 requires the parties to select an appropriate relationship style and own the target, while SCRIA states that its process can work only when participation is voluntary on both sides. The ambition therefore matters only when it is achievable and grounded in the actual relationship.
Source
RelEX Notes and scoring guide – 'Appropriate Relationship'; RelEX Step 4 – Partner Selection; RMR 2.8; SCRIA Chapter 6 – Relationship Evaluation Tool introduction.
Related possible improvement actions
Giving customers a reason to engageTTM-05 Earning attention by reducing effort or risk, bringing useful insight, solving problems or demonstrating a capability that matters to the customer.
Detail
Smaller companies cannot assume that customers, especially large primes or higher-tier organisations, will provide senior access, share plans or attend relationship workshops simply because better relationships are desirable. Engagement is more likely when the supplier can show a credible opportunity, make the customer's work easier or help achieve an outcome the customer values. Existing delivery, quality, technical and commercial interactions can be used to build confidence and demonstrate relevance. Where access remains limited, that constraint should shape the relationship ambition rather than becoming an excuse for passivity or ceremonial CRM activity.
Domain source basis
SCRIA Chapter 6 says that before using the Relationship Evaluation Tool the parties should have identified a business opportunity, assessed benefits, costs and payback, identified the partner and chosen the product or service on which to focus. RelEX Step 2 – Knowledge requires a business case and says investment in collaborative working should match the benefits; Step 4 adds the partner's willingness. The SC21 Code of Practice describes benefits such as reduced lead times, improved delivery and customer satisfaction. These sources imply that customer participation is earned through relevant value, not simply requested as a favour.
Source
SCRIA Chapter 6 – 'What the Tool Can and Cannot do'; RelEX Step 2 – Knowledge and Step 4 – Partner Selection; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Business Benefits.
Related possible improvement actions
Understanding what matters to each customerTTM-06 Knowing the outcomes, concerns and forms of value that different customer stakeholders care about beyond price, delivery and quality.
Detail
Customers may value predictability, responsiveness, low management effort, technical insight, innovation, risk reduction, flexibility, obsolescence support or confidence during disruption as well as conventional operational performance. Different stakeholders may also care about different things, so the view of one buyer or programme contact should not be treated as the customer's complete position. Understanding what matters provides the basis for relevant reviews, meaningful measures and worthwhile improvement. It also enables the supplier to distinguish value creation from activity that merely looks collaborative.
Domain source basis
RMM Q9 – Value Improvement begins with defining value and progresses to jointly agreed objectives and demonstrated benefits. RelEX Step 6 – Value Creation requires a jointly understood definition of value and qualitative and quantitative measures. The RET's Value parameter explicitly progresses from a sole focus on cost to more sophisticated measures of value added. The domain material therefore treats customer value as broader than price, even though the BMA scoring narrows its higher levels mainly to cost reduction.
Source
RMM Q9 – Value Improvement; RelEX Step 6 – Value Creation; RET – Value; Supply Chain Cooperation & Collaboration Code of Practice – Business Benefits.
Related possible improvement actions
Understanding the customer's wider business contextTTM-07 Seeing enough of the customer's strategy, market, programmes, pressures and end-customer obligations to anticipate what may affect the relationship.
Detail
Knowledge of purchase orders and current delivery issues is not enough to support a durable relationship. Relevant context may include programme lifecycle, demand volatility, regulatory pressure, competitive position, technology direction, organisational change and the needs of the next customer or end user. The amount shared will vary and legitimate confidentiality must be respected, but a basic understanding helps the supplier anticipate change and propose relevant support. It also turns 'strategic alignment' into something practical rather than a periodic exchange of corporate presentations.
Domain source basis
RMM Q6 – Strategic Alignment moves from no awareness of the other party's strategy to aligned objectives and realised benefits. The RET contains separate parameters for Market and Business Awareness, Visibility of Strategies, Alignment between Strategies and Understanding of Strategy. The SC21 Code of Practice's Communication principle calls for understanding each party's perspectives, long-term strategies and goals, and for sharing long-term plans and forecast data. The domain sources therefore make wider business awareness a substantive element of relationship management.
Source
RMM Q6 – Strategic Alignment; RET – Market and Business Awareness, Visibility of Strategies, Alignment between Strategies, Understanding of Strategy; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Communication.
Related possible improvement actions
Worthwhile returns from relationship effortTTM-08 Gaining operational, commercial or strategic benefits that justify the time, cost and attention invested in managing relationships.
Detail
Relationship activity should help retain or win business, reduce surprises, improve delivery, resolve issues faster, lower failure costs, strengthen resilience or create future opportunity. Less tangible gains such as confidence, access and reduced friction may also be important, but they should not be assumed merely because meetings are taking place. The expected benefits should justify the depth of engagement for each segment, and realised benefits should be reviewed. This keeps relationship management from becoming administrative overhead or an unfunded expectation imposed on the supplier.
Domain source basis
SCRIA Chapter 6 requires the opportunity, likely benefits, exercise costs and payback to be considered before the RET is used. RelEX Step 2 – Knowledge states that investment in collaborative working needs to match the benefits, and Step 6 requires the value delivered to be recorded and reviewed. RMR lists business benefits but also warns that holding a review will not fix a poor relationship: only completed improvement actions deliver sustainable benefit. The return therefore comes from changed outcomes, not from the presence of a process or tool.
Source
SCRIA Chapter 6 – 'What the Tool Can and Cannot do'; RelEX Step 2 – Knowledge and Step 6 – Value Creation; RMR Introduction – Benefits of Business Relationship Management.
Related possible improvement actions
2Ownership and organisational readiness
Clear relationship ownership and backingTTM-09 Knowing who owns each important customer relationship, who supports it and who can make or escalate decisions when needed.
Detail
A relationship owner should understand its condition, coordinate internal activity and ensure that significant commitments and issues are not lost between functions. Key or vulnerable relationships may also need senior backing from someone able to release resources, remove barriers and resolve difficult trade-offs. Ownership should remain clear through sales, contract mobilisation, delivery and support rather than passing silently from one function to another. Ownership does not mean one person carries the entire relationship; it means responsibility for its coherence is unmistakable.
Domain source basis
RMR section 2.1 calls for a sponsor in each organisation and identifies key individuals with primary responsibility for implementing review actions. Its Critical Success Factors include senior sponsorship, shared ownership and resources. RelEX Step 1 – Awareness requires a senior leader with authority, while Step 5 – Working Together calls for leaders, defined roles and responsibilities. RMM Q18 – Leadership adds the importance of leaders demonstrating the direction of the relationship through actions and behaviours.
Source
RMR 1 – Critical Success Factors and Roles of Sponsors; RMR 2.1; RelEX Step 1 – Awareness and Step 5 – Working Together; RMM Q18 – Leadership.
Related possible improvement actions
Access beyond a single contactTTM-10 Having appropriate working links across customer stakeholders so that the relationship is not dependent on one friendly or powerful individual.
Detail
The necessary network will vary, but it may include commercial, programme, technical, quality, operations and support contacts as well as decision-makers and influencers. Broader access reveals different perspectives, protects continuity when people change roles and reduces the risk that important information is filtered through one interface. This does not mean indiscriminate senior networking; it means knowing which links are needed and where access is missing. The same principle applies internally, so the relationship does not depend solely on one salesperson or account manager.
Domain source basis
RMM Q1 – Governance Reporting progresses to mapped points of contact and integrated stakeholder maps with defined roles. RMR section 2.1 says a review should be balanced and include all relevant stakeholders, while SCRIA Chapter 6 says the evaluation team should be cross-functional and represent departments concerned with the product or service. The SC21 Communication principle also calls for consistent contact with clear points of contact. These sources make stakeholder coverage and continuity part of relationship health.
Source
RMM Q1 – Governance Reporting; RMR 2.1; SCRIA Chapter 6 – Relationship Evaluation Tool introduction; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Communication.
Related possible improvement actions
Customer knowledge retained in the businessTTM-11 Keeping current relationship history, contacts, commitments, concerns, opportunities and sensitivities accessible to the people who need them.
Detail
Important customer knowledge should not reside only in personal inboxes, memories or informal conversations. Useful records may include stakeholder roles, significant interactions, unresolved issues, agreed actions, feedback, opportunities, dependencies and relevant history. Access should be straightforward for authorised colleagues and restricted where confidentiality, intellectual property or commercial sensitivity require it. A CRM platform can support this, but an unused, incomplete or untrusted system is not evidence that knowledge is actually being retained.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 2 – Knowledge explicitly requires an approach to managing and sharing knowledge while controlling intellectual property and what may be shared. Step 5 – Working Together calls for a joint knowledge management plan. RMM Q1 and Q2 cover stakeholder maps and the quality and openness of information exchange, while the SC21 Ethics principle requires confidentiality and intellectual property to be honoured. The BMA's reference to a CRM tool therefore matters only insofar as it preserves reliable and usable relationship knowledge.
Source
RelEX Step 2 – Knowledge and Step 5 – Working Together; RMM Q1 – Governance Reporting and Q2 – Information Exchange; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Ethics; BMA CRM consideration – CRM process and tool.
Related possible improvement actions
Capable and sufficiently resourced peopleTTM-12 Having people with the time, skills, judgement and organisational support suited to the needs of the relationship.
Detail
Effective relationship management may require listening, customer awareness, commercial judgement, technical credibility, responsiveness, conflict handling and the ability to coordinate internally. Different relationships and interfaces may need different capabilities, and not every person will be suited to a highly collaborative or sensitive role. Time and capacity matter as much as skill: relationship work treated as an invisible addition to overloaded roles produces inconsistency and broken commitments. Development, recruitment or reassignment should follow the actual gaps and priorities.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 2 – Knowledge says collaborative working may not suit all staff and calls for identifying experience, skills and competencies and assigning suitable people. Step 3 – Internal Assessment requires assessment and development of skills, while Step 1 includes supporting competences and behaviours. RMM Q16 – Resources addresses sufficiency, coordination and future needs. RMR's Critical Success Factors also require the necessary resources to complete improvement plans.
Source
RelEX Step 1 – Awareness, Step 2 – Knowledge and Step 3 – Internal Assessment; RMM Q16 – Resources; RMR 1 – Critical Success Factors.
Related possible improvement actions
Internal coordination around the customerTTM-13 Sales, commercial, programme, engineering, quality, operations and support working from a coherent understanding of the customer and its priorities.
Detail
Customers experience the organisation as a whole even when internal responsibilities are divided. Conflicting promises, duplicated requests, hidden issues and poor hand-offs make the supplier harder and riskier to work with. Coordination should bring together the functions relevant to the particular customer, programme or issue rather than creating a standing meeting involving everyone. This is one of the most important improvements available even when the customer is not yet willing to engage in a more structured relationship process.
Domain source basis
SCRIA Chapter 6 says the team using the RET should be cross-functional and drawn from departments concerned with the supplied product or service. The Supply Chain Cooperation & Collaboration Code of Practice calls for internal barriers to be broken down and appropriate teams to be identified and supported. RelEX Step 5 – Working Together adds defined roles, communication across stakeholders and joint process review. RMR section 2.1 similarly requires balanced stakeholder representation at a level where action can be implemented.
Source
SCRIA Chapter 6 – Relationship Evaluation Tool introduction; Supply Chain Cooperation & Collaboration Code of Practice – Integrated Supply Chain Culture; RelEX Step 5 – Working Together; RMR 2.1.
Related possible improvement actions
3How the relationship works in practice
Purposeful and proportionate dialogue with customersTTM-14 A pattern of operational and strategic contact suited to the relationship's importance, risk, complexity and opportunity.
Detail
Useful dialogue covers immediate delivery, emerging change, longer-term plans, relationship concerns, opportunities and agreed actions in the proportions appropriate to the relationship. More meetings are not automatically better, and routine reviews should not become ceremonial presentations dominated by historic data. Contact should be frequent enough to maintain understanding and prevent avoidable surprises without imposing needless effort on either party. The formality and seniority of dialogue should vary between strategic, developmental and routine relationships.
Domain source basis
RMM Q1 – Governance Reporting progresses from problem-focused meetings to frequent communication covering short-term actions and long-term planning, and finally to joint strategic governance. The RET's Formal Communication parameter distinguishes basic transaction-level communication from regular manager and senior strategic exchanges. The SC21 Communication principle calls for regular and timely dialogue including both strategic and operational review, while RMR section 2.1 says the level of engagement must fit the business being undertaken.
Source
RMM Q1 – Governance Reporting; RET – Formal Communication; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Communication; RMR 2.1.
Related possible improvement actions
Clear, early and useful communicationTTM-15 Information and responses that are timely, accurate, relevant, sufficient to act on and provided before avoidable surprises arise.
Detail
Good communication includes answering requests properly, explaining uncertainty and warning the customer when a problem is emerging rather than waiting for a complete solution. What is known, unknown, required and being done should be clear. Information quality should reduce the other party's effort, not create repeated clarification and chasing. Openness should remain proportionate to the relationship and subject to legitimate confidentiality and security constraints.
Domain source basis
RMM Q2 – Information Exchange explicitly assesses clarity, accuracy, timeliness and whether information is provided only on request or in advance. Q4 – Responsiveness distinguishes delayed or inadequate replies from timely, useful responses and proactive clarification. The RET has parallel parameters for Quality of Communication, Information Exchange and Relationship Responsiveness. The SC21 Communication principle adds sharing plans, forecasts and programme changes and maintaining consistent, appropriate communication with clear contacts.
Source
RMM Q2 – Information Exchange and Q4 – Responsiveness; RET – Quality of Communication, Information Exchange, Relationship Responsiveness; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Communication.
Related possible improvement actions
Trust, openness and honest dealingsTTM-16 A relationship in which commitments, difficulties and intentions can be discussed candidly and people behave consistently enough to be relied upon.
Detail
Trust grows through reliable conduct, fulfilled commitments, truthful explanation and the ability to raise difficult matters without concealment or blame. Openness does not require unrestricted disclosure: both parties should understand what can be shared, with whom and for what purpose. Personal rapport can help communication, but the relationship should not depend solely on friendship or informal access. Trust is most visible when circumstances are difficult, not merely when performance is good and interests coincide.
Domain source basis
RMM Q15 – Relationships moves from mistrust and frequent conflict to mutual trust, confidence, flexibility and effective resolution of differences. RMM Q2 and Q3 add openness of information and honest problem notification. The RET separately assesses Trust, Openness and Honesty and Personal Relations, including whether relationships withstand pressure. RelEX Step 7 – Staying Together requires behaviours and trust to be monitored, demonstrating that the domain treats them as operational conditions rather than vague sentiments.
Source
RMM Q2 – Information Exchange, Q3 – Problem Solving and Q15 – Relationships; RET – Trust, Openness and Honesty, Personal Relations; RelEX Step 7 – Staying Together.
Related possible improvement actions
Respectful and compatible ways of workingTTM-17 Behavioural standards, ethical expectations and working practices that enable people from both organisations to cooperate without avoidable friction.
Detail
Differences in culture, process and style do not need to disappear, but they should be understood and managed where they obstruct delivery or improvement. Respect, fairness, professional conduct and clear expectations make it easier to challenge constructively and to work as a joint team when that is appropriate. Shared ways of working should be practical rather than ceremonial and should not override necessary regulatory, security or accountability requirements. Poor behaviours should be addressed even when operational performance remains acceptable.
Domain source basis
RMM Q5 – Behaviours progresses from negative conduct and absent standards to jointly agreed, reviewed and demonstrated behavioural expectations supporting a common purpose. The RET treats Ethics and Protocols as separate parameters and asks whether different standards and ways of working are merely tolerated or genuinely reconciled. The SC21 Ethics principle covers principled conduct, respect for commercial discussions, confidentiality, intellectual property and personal accountability. The domain sources therefore support a distinct Thing That Matters about how people work together, not only whether they trust each other.
Source
RMM Q5 – Behaviours; RET – Ethics and Protocols; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Ethics; Supply Chain Cooperation & Collaboration Code of Practice – Integrated Supply Chain Culture.
Related possible improvement actions
Fair and enabling commercial arrangementsTTM-18 Clear, current and proportionate terms that support delivery, improvement, flexibility and mutually worthwhile outcomes.
Detail
Commercial arrangements should make rights, obligations, change and accountability clear without allowing threat, remedy and liability to dominate the relationship. Risk, reward, incentives and responsibilities should fit the circumstances and enable teams to resolve problems and improve outcomes. Fairness does not mean equal benefit or identical risk for both parties; it means that differences in power and role are not used to create unworkable conditions. Smaller suppliers should be able to raise one-sided or impractical provisions without being treated as obstructive.
Domain source basis
RMM Q14 – Contractual Agreements explicitly contrasts imposed or failure-focused terms with clear, fair and equitable agreements that incentivise mutual benefit, joint working and flexibility. The RET's Commercial Agreements parameter assesses bias, intimidation, balance and whether mutual benefits are incorporated; Sharing of Risk and Reward is also assessed separately. The SC21 Commercial Agreements principle calls for openness, clarity of objectives, clear responsibilities, fair risk management, appropriate incentives and delivery on commitments.
Source
RMM Q14 – Contractual Agreements; RET – Commercial Agreements and Sharing of Risk and Reward; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Commercial Agreements.
Related possible improvement actions
Earlier involvement in customer decisionsTTM-19 Being involved soon enough to shape feasible requirements, solutions, lead-times, support arrangements and risk before choices become difficult to change.
Detail
Early involvement can reveal manufacturability, capacity, cost, technical, support and lifecycle implications before they become expensive problems. Customers will not offer this automatically; it is usually earned through competence, reliability and relevant contribution. Even modestly earlier technical or operational dialogue can be valuable where full pre-contract collaboration is unrealistic. Late engagement matters particularly when the supplier is expected to carry consequences it had little opportunity to influence.
Domain source basis
RMM Q13 – Route to Contract progresses from no pre-RFQ engagement to early joint development of ideas and requirements, while Q8 – Product/Service Development assesses timely joint participation and optimisation. The RET's Involvement parameter distinguishes late supplier participation from early cross-functional involvement by both parties. The SC21 Through Life Capability Management principle also calls for the earliest possible involvement of supply-chain partners to enable innovation, supportability and capability development.
Source
RMM Q8 – Product/Service Development and Q13 – Route to Contract; RET – Involvement and Product Development Capability; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Through Life Capability Management.
Related possible improvement actions
Dependable delivery and follow-throughTTM-20 Keeping operational and relationship commitments, with credible recovery and learning when performance falls short.
Detail
Trust cannot be sustained by good meetings if delivery, quality, support or agreed actions repeatedly fail. The customer should experience reliable performance, honest recovery and clear ownership when something goes wrong. Commitments made during reviews and ordinary interactions matter alongside contractual targets. Strong delivery should still not be treated as proof that the whole relationship is healthy, because access, trust, future alignment or customer experience may remain poor.
Domain source basis
RMM Q12 – Performance Management requires visible plans, measures, transparent reporting and continuous improvement, progressing to joint review and exceeded targets. The RET's Achievement of Targets and Delivery – Adherence to Next Customer Requirements parameters link the relationship to performance for both parties and the next customer. The SC21 Code of Practice identifies improved delivery, quality, planning and customer satisfaction as intended benefits. These sources support dependable performance as a foundation, while the RMR framework shows that relationship health also requires perception, dialogue and action.
Source
RMM Q12 – Performance Management; RET – Achievement of Targets and Delivery – Adherence to Next Customer Requirements; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Business Benefits; RMR process.
Related possible improvement actions
Shared visibility of plans, risks, changes and opportunitiesTTM-21 Enough forward-looking exchange to anticipate demand, capacity, programme change, relationship risk and worthwhile opportunity.
Detail
Relevant forecasts, programme decisions, capacity constraints, personnel changes, emerging risks and future possibilities should be raised early enough for both parties to respond. The depth of exchange will vary and some customers may share very little, but the supplier should still seek the minimum visibility needed to protect delivery and investment decisions. Information should lead to coordinated action rather than simply being passed between organisations. Risks created by interdependence and changes affecting other supply-chain participants should also be considered.
Domain source basis
RMM Q11 – Change Management and Q17 – Risk & Opportunity both progress towards jointly managed change, shared mitigation and end-to-end opportunity development. The SC21 Communication principle explicitly calls for sharing long-term plans, forecasts, programme changes and improvement information. RelEX Step 5 – Working Together requires a joint risk process and register, while Step 8 – Changes in Relationship requires regular evaluation of organisational, environmental, personnel and performance changes. The domain material therefore treats forward visibility as central to avoiding surprises and protecting the wider supply chain.
Source
RMM Q11 – Change Management and Q17 – Risk & Opportunity; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Communication; RelEX Step 5 – Working Together and Step 8 – Changes in Relationship.
Related possible improvement actions
4Relationship insight and improvement
Meaningful and shared measures of relationship performanceTTM-22 Measures that show operational results, relationship conditions, customer outcomes and improvement progress without reducing everything to delivery and quality scores.
Detail
Delivery and quality remain essential, but they do not reveal the whole relationship. Useful measures may also cover responsiveness, action completion, risk, value creation, behaviours, trust, innovation, customer effort and future confidence, selected according to the relationship's objectives. Measures should be understood by the people using them and reviewed together where the customer is willing to participate. The purpose is to guide decisions and improvement, not to create an elaborate dashboard or a single composite score that conceals important differences.
Domain source basis
RMM Q12 – Performance Management calls for transparent performance plans and measures and ultimately joint review, while Q9 covers jointly agreed value objectives and benefits. RelEX Step 5 – Working Together requires joint objectives and effective measurements; Step 7 specifically says monitoring should include outputs, risk, alignment, behaviours and trust. The SC21 Code of Practice calls for agreed performance measures covering schedule, product quality and overall through-life cost. These are the domain's own arguments for a broader and shared view of performance than the BMA's delivery-and-quality proxy for satisfaction.
Source
RMM Q9 – Value Improvement and Q12 – Performance Management; RelEX Step 5 – Working Together and Step 7 – Staying Together; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Integrated Supply Chain Culture / Continuous Improvement.
Related possible improvement actions
Credible insight into customer experienceTTM-23 Reliable evidence from an appropriate spread of customers and stakeholders about how relationships are actually experienced.
Detail
Operational results cannot show whether customers feel understood, confident, listened to or willing to deepen the relationship. Insight may come from structured reviews, interviews, surveys, ordinary conversations, complaints, lost-business analysis and observed behaviour. Coverage should be broad enough to avoid relying only on friendly contacts or the strongest accounts, while confidentiality should protect candour. Findings should preserve the spread of views and the reasons behind them rather than collapsing everything into an average score.
Domain source basis
RMR sections 2.2 and 2.3 explicitly frame relationship review as a perception appraisal, compare questionnaires, interviews and workshops, recommend broad data capture followed by focused discussion, and stress confidentiality. Section 2.3 says results normally contain a distribution from serious concern to very positive views, warns that averages can obscure problem issues and says the scoring mechanism should not compare one customer-supplier relationship with another. SCRIA Steps 1 and 2 use agreed weightings and separate customer and supplier scores to create a perception profile. RelEX Step 3 – Internal Assessment also calls for monitoring external profile and customer feedback.
Source
RMR 2.2 – Understand and Agree Criteria and 2.3 – Understand Supplier's / Customer's Perceptions; SCRIA Chapter 6 – Steps 1, 2 and 2a; RelEX Step 3 – Internal Assessment; RMM Questionnaire.
Related possible improvement actions
A shared view of the relationshipTTM-24 Understanding and, where possible, agreeing the present state, desired state and causes of the most important perception gaps.
Detail
The supplier and customer can experience the same relationship very differently, and the objective is not to prove which side's score is correct. Discussion should expose what lies behind the differences, establish where there is genuine agreement and identify gaps that matter to performance or future opportunity. A shared baseline makes improvement more likely because actions start from a common understanding. Where the customer will not participate, internal conclusions should be clearly marked as assumptions and later validated rather than presented as joint fact.
Domain source basis
RMR section 2.4 compares perceptions, section 2.5 examines gaps, section 2.7 requires a consensus baseline and warns that simply taking the mid-point can hide serious differences, and section 2.8 establishes the jointly owned desired state. SCRIA Steps 2 to 4 mirror this sequence through separate scores, perception-gap discussion, an agreed actual score and an agreed desired score. RelEX Step 5 – Working Together supports joint relationship assessment where it is appropriate and mutually agreed. The sources therefore make shared diagnosis and direction central to improvement, not an optional feature of a survey.
Source
RMR 2.4-2.8; SCRIA Chapter 6 – Steps 2, 2a, 3, 3a, 3b, 4 and 4a; RelEX Step 5 – Working Together.
Related possible improvement actions
Early and constructive problem resolutionTTM-25 Problems being surfaced without blame, owned, understood and resolved before repeated escalation or recurrence.
Detail
Weak relationships hide problems, allocate blame or leave each party to solve only the effects it experiences. Stronger practice includes early notification, clear recovery, investigation of causes and joint resolution where the issue crosses organisational boundaries. The customer should not need repeated escalation before a known problem receives serious attention. The way a relationship handles failure often reveals more about its quality than performance during normal conditions.
Domain source basis
RMM Q3 – Problem Solving progresses from concealed issues and blame to early identification, proactive solutions and joint activity that pre-empts and resolves problems regardless of liability. The RET's Problem Notification and Resolution parameter follows the same progression from firefighting and disguised problems to pre-emptive joint action. RMR section 2.6 tells facilitators to distinguish causes from symptoms and focus discussion on the few issues actually affecting the relationship. RelEX Step 7 – Staying Together requires a maintained process for timely issue resolution.
Source
RMM Q3 – Problem Solving; RET – Problem Notification and Resolution; RMR 2.6 – Discuss and Capture Issues; RelEX Step 7 – Staying Together.
Related possible improvement actions
Reinforcing action from relationship reviewsTTM-26 Visible improvement action from feedback, with ownership, follow-through, results and learning that encourage further participation and continuous improvement.
Detail
A review should lead to a small number of worthwhile priorities, named owners, support responsibilities, clear outcomes and evidence of success. People who contribute insight should be able to see what was done, what changed and what still needs attention; otherwise future feedback becomes less candid and participation declines. Subsequent reviews should examine the effects of completed actions and use that learning to choose the next improvements. This creates a reinforcing loop in which listening produces action, action produces visible benefit and visible benefit strengthens trust in the next review cycle.
Domain source basis
RMR states explicitly that holding a review will not fix a poor relationship and that only completing improvement actions delivers sustainable business benefits. Section 2.9 requires owned actions, completion expectations and success criteria; section 2.10 says all participants should receive the results and action plan and that success should be advertised; section 2.11 closes the loop by reviewing progress and consequences for the next cycle. SCRIA says the real value of the tool comes from focused discussions and actions, and Step 6 reassesses the relationship after activities through a movement profile. RelEX Step 7 – Staying Together requires periodic-review results to be embedded in the Continuous Sustainable Improvement Plan and evidenced through ongoing benefits.
Source
RMR Introduction and 2.9-2.11; SCRIA Chapter 6 – 'What the Tool Can and Cannot do' and Steps 5-6a; RelEX Step 7 – Staying Together.
Related possible improvement actions
Value improvement beyond cost reductionTTM-27 Better outcomes that matter, including quality, reliability, risk, lead time, responsiveness, innovation, whole-life cost and end-customer performance.
Detail
Cost can matter greatly, but it is only one dimension of relationship-created value. Improvements may reduce failure, simplify change, improve predictability, strengthen resilience, lower customer effort, enable innovation or produce better outcomes for the next customer and end user. Both parties should understand the intended benefit and avoid claiming value that has simply been transferred from one party to the other. Progress should be visible enough to justify continued effort and guide the next improvement.
Domain source basis
RMM Q9 – Value Improvement calls for jointly agreed objectives, continuous improvement and demonstrated benefits to all parties. RelEX Step 6 – Value Creation requires joint definitions, qualitative and quantitative measures, improvement teams, recorded benefits and a value register. The RET's Value parameter explicitly moves beyond sole cost focus, while its Delivery and Achievement of Targets parameters connect relationship value to the next customer and order-winning performance. The SC21 business-benefit sections list delivery, quality, risk, planning, capacity, customer satisfaction, inventory and whole-life cost as outcomes. The domain's own sources therefore advocate a much broader value model than the BMA's emphasis on joint cost reduction.
Source
RMM Q9 – Value Improvement; RelEX Step 6 – Value Creation; RET – Value, Achievement of Targets and Delivery – Adherence to Next Customer Requirements; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Business Benefits.
Related possible improvement actions
Capability development and innovation through relationshipsTTM-28 Customer relationships strengthening products, processes, technology, skills and the ability to deliver future value.
Detail
A useful relationship can reveal capability gaps, enable earlier technical contribution, align investment and create opportunities for product, process or service improvement. Joint development may be appropriate in some relationships, but a supplier should not assume that the customer will fund or lead its capability-building. Investment should be proportionate to the opportunity, dependency and confidence in the relationship. Innovation matters when it is applied and produces useful business or end-customer outcomes, not merely when ideas are generated.
Domain source basis
RMM Q7 – Capability Management, Q8 – Product/Service Development and Q10 – Innovation each progress towards joint development and demonstrated benefit. The RET contains separate parameters for relationship-specific investment, product development capability, process capability, process development and innovation. RelEX Step 6 – Value Creation calls for improvement teams, learning and mechanisms to generate and monitor ideas and innovation. The SC21 Through Life Capability Management principle links early involvement, capability development, common processes and innovation to through-life value.
Source
RMM Q7 – Capability Management, Q8 – Product/Service Development and Q10 – Innovation; RET – Investment, Product Development Capability, Process Capability, Process Development and Innovation; RelEX Step 6 – Value Creation; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Through Life Capability Management.
Related possible improvement actions
5Lifecycle, learning and durability
Learning across customer relationshipsTTM-29 Turning experience from one relationship into better choices and practices across others without breaching confidentiality.
Detail
Lessons from customer feedback, delivery failures, contract changes, innovation and relationship improvement should influence future segmentation, staffing, communication, contracting and risk management. Learning is not complete when a lesson is recorded; operating practice or planning must change and the effect should be reviewed. Patterns across relationships can reveal systemic weaknesses that are invisible within a single account. Knowledge should be shared carefully so that one customer's sensitive information is not exposed to another.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 6 – Value Creation requires a process for learning from experience and incorporating lessons where appropriate. Step 8 – Changes in Relationship says lessons should be captured and fed into future plans, while Step 3 – Internal Assessment requires review results and improvements to be fed back into planning. RMR section 2.11 uses each review cycle to understand the consequences of previous actions and inform the next cycle. The SC21 Continuous Improvement principle also encourages long-term relationships as an environment for best-practice learning and sharing.
Source
RelEX Step 3 – Internal Assessment, Step 6 – Value Creation and Step 8 – Changes in Relationship; RMR 2.11; SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Continuous Improvement.
Related possible improvement actions
Through-life customer supportTTM-30 Sustaining appropriate ownership, knowledge and support as programmes, products and services move through development, production, operation, change, obsolescence and end-of-life.
Detail
Customer needs, risks and relevant stakeholders change between bidding, new product introduction, production, in-service support, upgrade, obsolescence and withdrawal. Relationship knowledge and responsibility should therefore transition rather than disappearing after contract award or delivery. Through-life support should respond to real customer and end-user needs and connect technical, operational and commercial decisions across the lifecycle. It should not be treated merely as an additional offering listed in a capability statement.
Domain source basis
The SC21 Through Life Capability Management principle explicitly calls for integrated supply solutions using supply-chain knowledge at all levels, early involvement, common processes, integrated teams and whole-life cost considerations. RelEX Step 8 – Changes in Relationship names transitions from production to product support and NPI and requires planning for business continuity and customer support. The BMA CRM considerations mention a Through Life Support offering but omit it from the scoring statements. This Thing That Matters restores the lifecycle requirement as an experienced customer outcome rather than a claimed service.
Source
SC21 Supply Chain Relationships Code of Practice – Through Life Capability Management; RelEX Step 8 – Changes in Relationship; BMA CRM consideration – Through Life Support offering.
Related possible improvement actions
Relationships resilient under pressureTTM-31 Relationships able to withstand disruption, disagreement, poor performance and personnel change without collapsing or losing the ability to recover.
Detail
Resilience comes from multiple appropriate contacts, reliable knowledge, clear escalation, candid communication, fair arrangements and experience of solving difficult issues together. A relationship based only on one personal connection or favourable conditions can be highly vulnerable when people, priorities or performance change. Recovery should protect current delivery while preserving the possibility of a workable future relationship. Resilience is therefore an outcome of several practices but is also something customers and suppliers experience directly when circumstances become difficult.
Domain source basis
The RET contains a specific Relationship Resilience parameter ranging from breakdown under pressure to sustained high resilience, and its Personal Relations parameter asks whether relationships can withstand pressure. RMM Q15 – Relationships links trust, flexibility and conflict resolution to delivery of joint objectives, while Q3 addresses behaviour during problems. RelEX Step 7 – Staying Together requires monitoring trust and behaviours and maintaining issue-resolution arrangements. RMR's risk-and-complexity matrix also shows that more demanding relationships need stronger facilitation and management to prevent failure.
Source
RET – Relationship Resilience and Personal Relations; RMM Q3 – Problem Solving and Q15 – Relationships; RelEX Step 7 – Staying Together; RMR 1 – Risk and Complexity considerations.
Related possible improvement actions
Deliberate relationship growth, repair, maintenance or exitTTM-32 Reassessing whether relationships should deepen, continue, recover, reduce or end, and managing the chosen transition consciously.
Detail
A relationship can cease to fit because programmes, markets, strategy, performance, dependency or personnel have changed. Growth should not be pursued in every account, and failing relationships should not be retained indefinitely through inertia. Where repair, reduction or exit is needed, obligations, customer support, continuity, knowledge and future reputation should be protected. A limited current relationship may still be maintained as a platform for credible future opportunity, while a formerly strategic relationship may need to become more transactional.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 8 – Changes in Relationship is explicitly framed as a growth or exit strategy. Its context requires regular reassessment of mutual benefit, early planning for changing aims, transition, business continuity and customer support, and consideration of future opportunities. RMR section 2.8 establishes the desired relationship type and warns that maintenance is still required after the target is achieved because relationships regress without ongoing activity. The RET's Strategy for Relationship, Relationship Development and Mutual Destiny parameters also assess whether relationship direction is actively pursued rather than left static.
Source
RelEX Step 8 – Changes in Relationship; RMR 2.8 and 2.11; RET – Strategy for Relationship, Relationship Development and Mutual Destiny.
Related possible improvement actions
Possible Improvement Actions
1Portfolio and relationship direction
Build a customer relationship registerCRM-01 Create a simple whole-portfolio view so strong, weak, thin and neglected customer relationships are all visible.
Suggested approach
Start with one row for every material customer relationship, using the level that is commercially meaningful: customer, site, business unit, programme or product/service relationship. Record the relationship owner, strategic importance, current business, dependency, risk, potential, key contacts, broad health and the next planned review. A controlled spreadsheet or shared list is enough; do not wait for a new CRM platform. Review the register periodically and use it to identify missing information, concentrated dependencies and relationships that have received little deliberate attention.
Useful output / evidence
A current relationship register that supports segmentation, ownership and selection of relationships for deeper work.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 1 – Awareness explicitly calls for 'segregated relationships', segmentation and prioritisation, with evidence based on a review of business relationships. RMR 2.1 requires the relationship level and scope to be defined before improvement work. The sources do not prescribe a portfolio register, but the register is a low-burden way to make those requirements usable across more than one key account.
Related Things That Matter
Define the scope of each priority relationshipCRM-02 Make sure everyone is assessing and improving the same relationship rather than an over-broad company-to-company abstraction.
Suggested approach
For each selected relationship, write a one-sentence scope statement naming the customer entity, site or programme, the product or service involved, the lifecycle stage and the main interfaces included. Test whether the people taking part have enough experience and authority at that level to implement improvements. Split a broad customer relationship into separate scopes where different programmes, sites or teams have materially different experiences. Record exclusions so a strong relationship in one area is not assumed to represent the whole customer.
Useful output / evidence
A short, agreed relationship scope statement used on reviews, surveys, plans and action logs.
Domain source basis
RMR 2.1 explicitly says the relationship may need to be defined at company, business unit, project, team, site or location level and warns against high-level 'motherhood' actions. The RMM instructions require the specified team, group or organisation to be stated. SCRIA Chapter 6 says the RET should focus on the relationship as it applies to a specific product or service.
Related Things That Matter
Segment customer relationshipsCRM-03 Apply different levels and styles of relationship management where they are justified rather than treating all customers identically.
Suggested approach
Use a small number of useful segments, for example strategic/developmental, core delivery, transactional, vulnerable and declining. Base placement on more than current revenue: include future opportunity, programme criticality, switching difficulty, concentration, risk, complexity and the consequences of failure. Define the minimum management approach for each segment, such as review frequency, ownership, stakeholder depth and whether structured relationship assessment is warranted. Keep the model simple enough to use and revisit it as programmes and markets change.
Useful output / evidence
A practical segmentation model linked to proportionate engagement expectations.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 1 – Awareness explicitly requires relationship strategy to include segmentation and prioritisation and an implementation strategy for each selected relationship type. Its 'Appropriate Relationship' note says the relationship should reflect strategic importance, scope of supply and potential benefits, ranging from partnering to transactional. RMR 2.8 also requires the relationship style to fit the business and future objectives.
Related Things That Matter
Select relationships for focused improvementCRM-04 Concentrate limited time on relationships where improvement is both valuable and actionable.
Suggested approach
Score or discuss candidate relationships against business benefit, customer/end-user impact, risk, urgency, willingness to engage, complexity and the organisation's ability to influence the outcome. Select a small number for deeper work rather than launching a programme across the whole portfolio. Include at least one relationship where a visible result is achievable, while retaining attention on a strategically important or vulnerable relationship that may take longer. Record why each relationship was selected and what would make it no longer a priority.
Useful output / evidence
A short, evidenced priority list for the next relationship-improvement cycle.
Domain source basis
RMR section 1 uses risk and complexity to determine the appropriate scale and facilitation of relationship work. RelEX Step 1 requires prioritisation, while SCRIA Chapter 6 says a business opportunity, expected benefits, costs and payback should be identified before using the RET. Together they support selective deployment rather than blanket activity.
Related Things That Matter
Set an appropriate relationship ambitionCRM-05 Define a realistic desired relationship that fits the work, mutual value and the customer's willingness to participate.
Suggested approach
Describe the desired relationship in practical terms: the access, information, behaviours, joint activity and outcomes that would be useful. Decide whether the near-term aim is dependable transactional working, improved cooperation, deeper collaboration, recovery or maintenance. Use interim ambitions where the customer is not ready for a major change. Avoid calling a relationship 'strategic' or a 'partnership' unless the expected behaviours and commitments are clear and credible on both sides.
Useful output / evidence
A concise desired-state statement and, where useful, an interim target.
Domain source basis
RelEX's 'Appropriate Relationship' note explicitly recognises a range from close partnering to transactional relationships and cases where a customer does not wish to engage. RelEX Step 4 requires partner willingness to be considered. RMR 2.8 asks participants to agree and own an appropriate 'To-Be' relationship style and recommends interim targets.
Related Things That Matter
Build a business case for deeper engagementCRM-06 Show why additional relationship effort is worth the time and investment for both parties.
Suggested approach
State the problem or opportunity, the customer and supplier outcomes that could improve, the cost and effort of the proposed engagement, major dependencies and how benefit would be recognised. Include non-financial benefits such as reduced risk, fewer surprises, better access, lower management effort or more reliable planning. Use the business case to decide whether to proceed, scale down or choose a different relationship. Keep it to one page unless the proposed investment is substantial.
Useful output / evidence
A proportionate relationship business case that can secure internal backing and support a credible customer conversation.
Domain source basis
SCRIA Chapter 6 says the parties should identify a business opportunity, assess expected benefits, costs and payback, identify the partner and choose the product or service before using the RET. RelEX Step 2 – Knowledge explicitly requires an established business case and says investment in collaborative working must match the benefits. RelEX Step 4 adds compatibility and willingness.
Related Things That Matter
Identify a customer engagement propositionCRM-07 Give the customer a concrete reason to spend time on the relationship.
Suggested approach
Choose one relevant proposition based on evidence: remove a recurring source of effort, improve forecast reliability, reduce risk, shorten a lead time, resolve an interface problem, contribute earlier technical insight or strengthen through-life support. Explain the proposed benefit in the customer's terms and make the first step easy, such as a focused 45-minute discussion around one product, programme or decision. Use existing performance and technical credibility rather than asking for broad strategic access before it has been earned.
Useful output / evidence
A specific, low-friction invitation to engage around a worthwhile outcome.
Domain source basis
SCRIA Chapter 6 makes an identifiable opportunity and payback a precondition for relationship evaluation. The SC21 Codes of Practice list concrete benefits including improved time to contract, lead time, quality, customer satisfaction, risk, forecasting, inventory, investment planning and capability. The sources imply that engagement is most credible when attached to one of these outcomes rather than to relationship management as an end in itself.
Related Things That Matter
Create a one-page relationship planCRM-08 Bring the essential relationship choices and actions into one usable working document.
Suggested approach
Capture the scope, segment, desired relationship, owner and sponsor, important stakeholders, what matters to the customer, two or three relationship objectives, core measures, key risks/opportunities, current actions and next review. Link to detailed contract, programme or issue records instead of duplicating them. Update the page when objectives, people or circumstances change. For ordinary accounts, this may be the whole plan; more complex relationships can use it as the front sheet to a fuller Relationship Management Plan.
Useful output / evidence
A live one-page plan that coordinates attention without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 1 includes a Strategic Relationship Management Plan and Step 7 requires relationship plans to be maintained. RMR 2.9 describes a Relationship Management Plan containing scope, participants, analysis, actions, owners, dates and success criteria. This action deliberately scales those source requirements to a form a smaller company can maintain.
Related Things That Matter
2Ownership, knowledge and internal readiness
Appoint a relationship owner and sponsorCRM-09 Make accountability and organisational backing clear for every priority or vulnerable relationship.
Suggested approach
Name one person who maintains the overall view, coordinates internal activity and follows through commitments. For a high-priority, difficult or cross-functional relationship, name a senior sponsor who can secure participation, make decisions, release resources and resolve internal barriers. Make clear that the owner is not expected to conduct every customer interaction. Review ownership whenever responsibilities, programmes or key personnel change.
Useful output / evidence
Recorded ownership, sponsorship and delegation for each selected relationship.
Domain source basis
RMR 2.1 requires individuals in each party with primary responsibility for implementing review actions. RMR section 1 and the sponsor guidance describe senior authority, resources, arbitration and decision-making as critical success factors. RelEX Step 1 calls for a named senior leader and Step 5 asks each organisation to identify its leader. RMM Q18 assesses leadership that is demonstrated through actions and empowerment.
Related Things That Matter
Map stakeholders and build accessCRM-10 Reduce dependency on one contact and understand how customer decisions, requirements and experiences are formed.
Suggested approach
Map the internal and customer people who influence commercial, technical, quality, delivery, programme, support and future-business matters. Record role, influence, current connection, information needs and the relationship owner for each interface. Identify gaps and choose a legitimate route to build access through current work, introductions, review meetings or a useful improvement activity. Focus on necessary connections rather than senior networking for its own sake.
Useful output / evidence
A current stakeholder/contact map with a small number of access-building actions.
Domain source basis
RMM Q1 progresses from no points of contact to documented contact maps and integrated stakeholder maps with roles and responsibilities. RMR 2.1 says reviews should be balanced and include all relevant stakeholders. The SC21 Communication principle requires consistent communication with clear points of contact, and SCRIA requires a cross-functional team concerned with the product or service.
Related Things That Matter
Create a shared relationship recordCRM-11 Keep important customer knowledge, history and commitments available to the people who need them.
Suggested approach
Use the existing CRM, ERP, shared drive or a controlled account file to record contacts, meeting notes, commitments, feedback, unresolved issues, sensitivities, opportunities, relationship decisions and key history. Define the minimum information that must be updated and by whom. Link to source documents rather than storing uncontrolled duplicates. Check periodically for stale contacts, unclosed commitments and knowledge held only in personal inboxes or notebooks.
Useful output / evidence
A usable, current relationship record that survives absence and personnel change.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 2 asks organisations to establish how knowledge will be managed and shared within relationships, and Step 5 calls for a joint knowledge-management plan where appropriate. RMM Q1 expects contact maps and Q2 expects useful information exchange. The BMA's CRM process/tool consideration is best made practical through reliable content and use, not merely system ownership.
Related Things That Matter
Set information-sharing and confidentiality rulesCRM-12 Enable useful openness without exposing confidential information, intellectual property or commercial interests.
Suggested approach
List the main information types relevant to the relationship and define what can be shared, at what level, with whom and under which controls. Clarify treatment of customer data, forecasts, pricing, design information, IP, export-controlled material and meeting records. Use existing contractual protections and mark information consistently. Where uncertainty is causing unnecessary withholding, obtain a specific decision rather than relying on a general claim of confidentiality.
Useful output / evidence
Simple information-sharing rules understood by customer-facing and delivery staff.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 2 explicitly says knowledge sharing is beneficial but must be controlled, including IP rights and what may or may not be shared. The SC21 Ethics principle requires confidentiality markings and IP rights to be honoured. RMM Q2 warns against using commercial confidentiality as a barrier while still progressing towards high-quality, timely exchange.
Related Things That Matter
Clarify roles, decisions and escalationCRM-13 Prevent gaps, conflicting commitments and slow resolution when several functions are involved.
Suggested approach
For each priority relationship, agree who leads routine contact, technical decisions, commercial commitments, recovery activity, customer escalation and internal escalation. Define where authority sits and what must be referred upward. Use a simple responsibility table rather than a full governance manual. Test it against common situations such as a late delivery, urgent change request, disputed requirement or request for unplanned work.
Useful output / evidence
A short responsibility and escalation map used by the relationship team.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 5 explicitly requires roles and responsibilities to be defined. RMR 2.1 says at least one participant from each organisation must have responsibility and authority to deliver actions. RMM Q1 links mature governance to mapped roles and responsibilities, while Q18 links leadership to effective empowerment.
Related Things That Matter
Form a proportionate cross-functional customer teamCRM-14 Coordinate the functions that collectively create the customer's experience without creating a standing meeting for everybody.
Suggested approach
Identify the few people needed for the relationship's current objectives, usually combining commercial or account ownership with programme/operations and relevant technical or quality input. Meet only at a cadence justified by the relationship, and bring others in for specific decisions or issues. Use the team to reconcile messages, review commitments and risks, prepare customer dialogue and remove internal barriers. Disband or resize it when the need changes.
Useful output / evidence
A small, named customer team with clear purpose and participation rules.
Domain source basis
SCRIA Chapter 6 says the team using the RET should be cross-functional and represent departments concerned with the product or service. The SC21 Through Life Capability principle calls for integrated multi-function and cross-company teams. RelEX Step 5 requires capable leaders, defined roles, communications and joint processes.
Related Things That Matter
Use RelEX to assess internal relationship capabilityCRM-15 Identify the internal strengths and gaps that affect the ability to manage customer relationships well.
Suggested approach
Run a focused self-diagnostic using the supplied RelEX workbook, concentrating first on the eight step headings and the What/Why/Evidence prompts rather than pursuing a formal award score. Gather evidence from more than one function and record strengths, areas for improvement and actions. Use the result to decide where processes, skills, ownership or tools need attention. A formal external assessment can be considered later if there is a clear benefit.
Useful output / evidence
An evidence-based internal capability profile and a short development plan.
Domain source basis
RelEX describes its internal assessment as a self-diagnostic to benchmark progress and completeness, requiring evidence for each maturity level. Step 3 specifically requires regular assessment of collaborative-working strengths and weaknesses and feedback into planning. The workbook's feedback guidance turns lower scores into Areas for Improvement and input to a Continuous Sustainable Improvement Plan.
Related Things That Matter
Develop relationship skills through live workCRM-16 Build the listening, judgement, communication and commercial skills needed in the relationships that matter most.
Suggested approach
Select a few observable skills linked to current needs, such as clarifying customer priorities, writing useful responses, handling difficult conversations, understanding commercial implications or facilitating a review. Combine short training with preparation, observation, coaching and reflection on real customer interactions. Allocate people to relationships where their strengths fit, and pair less experienced staff with someone who can support them. Avoid generic relationship training that is not applied to live work.
Useful output / evidence
Targeted development actions with evidence of improved practice in real relationships.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 1 requires policies and procedures supporting competencies and behaviours. Step 2 asks organisations to identify experience, skills and competencies and notes that collaborative work may not suit all staff. Step 3 requires knowledge and skills gaps to be addressed through development or recruitment. RMM Q16 also stresses sufficient and appropriately used resources.
Related Things That Matter
Align internal messages and commitmentsCRM-17 Ensure the customer receives one coherent account of priorities, decisions and promises across different functions.
Suggested approach
Before important customer interactions, agree the facts, decisions required, positions that are fixed or negotiable and who may make commitments. Maintain one visible commitments log and promptly reconcile conflicting information. Brief relevant colleagues after important customer decisions and make sure hand-offs preserve context. Use recurring contradictions or duplicated requests as evidence of an internal coordination problem to fix.
Useful output / evidence
Consistent customer communication and fewer conflicting or unowned commitments.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 5 requires communications management across all stakeholders so activities are understood in their organisational context. RMM Q1 links governance to clear points of contact and roles, and Q2 requires clear, accurate and timely information. The SC21 Communication principle similarly calls for consistent and appropriate communication.
Related Things That Matter
3Customer engagement and relationship practice
Ask what matters to customer stakeholdersCRM-18 Understand the outcomes and concerns that should guide relationship objectives and improvement.
Suggested approach
Ask a small set of open questions during reviews, interviews or ordinary conversations: what creates the most value, what consumes unnecessary effort, what risks confidence, what is changing, and what would make the supplier easier to work with. Seek more than one stakeholder view where practical and distinguish individual preferences from wider customer priorities. Confirm the resulting priorities back to the customer and record how they will influence decisions or measures.
Useful output / evidence
A validated list of customer priorities, concerns and value outcomes by relevant stakeholder group.
Domain source basis
RMM Q9 requires value to be defined and improved jointly, while Q6 requires awareness and alignment of strategies. The SC21 Communication principle calls for understanding each party's perspectives, strategies, goals, processes and environment. RET parameters for Value, Market and Business Awareness and strategy understanding show the domain expects relationship decisions to be grounded in what each party values and is trying to achieve.
Related Things That Matter
Create a customer context briefCRM-19 Give customer-facing and delivery staff enough context to anticipate needs and make better decisions.
Suggested approach
Summarise the customer's markets, programmes, end users, known strategic priorities, lifecycle stage, pressures, major changes and likely implications for the supplied product or service. Use public information, contract and programme knowledge, customer conversations and observed behaviour; mark assumptions and confidence levels. Review the brief with people who have different customer interfaces and update it when material changes occur. Do not present inference as confidential customer strategy.
Useful output / evidence
A concise, current customer context brief with facts, assumptions and implications.
Domain source basis
RET explicitly assesses Market and Business Awareness, Visibility of Strategies, Alignment between Strategies and Understanding of Strategy. The SC21 Communication principle calls for understanding each party's business environment, processes, strategies and goals. RMM Q6 moves from no strategic awareness to aligned objectives and realised benefits.
Related Things That Matter
Establish a proportionate dialogue rhythmCRM-20 Create enough operational and forward-looking contact for the relationship's importance and risk.
Suggested approach
Define which interactions are needed, with whom and for what purpose: routine delivery contact, issue escalation, periodic performance review and, for selected relationships, a less frequent strategic or forward-looking discussion. Combine meetings where possible and stop recurring sessions that do not produce decisions or insight. Keep the rhythm flexible enough to intensify during change, recovery or new-product activity and reduce when the relationship is stable.
Useful output / evidence
An agreed contact and review rhythm with clear purpose for each interaction.
Domain source basis
RMM Q1 progresses from limited or problem-only contact to frequent communication and joint strategic governance. The SC21 Communication principle requires regular and timely dialogue covering strategic and operational reviews. RET Formal Communication similarly progresses towards two-way senior strategic exchange.
Related Things That Matter
Make customer reviews forward-lookingCRM-21 Use reviews to shape future performance and the relationship, not only report historic delivery and quality.
Suggested approach
Design the agenda around three questions: what has happened and what must be recovered; what is coming next and what assumptions, risks or decisions require attention; and what should improve in how the parties work together. Circulate routine data in advance and spend meeting time on exceptions, causes, choices and actions. End with decisions, owners and a visible account of how earlier customer feedback has been acted upon.
Useful output / evidence
A review agenda and action record that balance performance, forward planning and relationship improvement.
Domain source basis
RMM Q1 says stronger meetings address both short-term actions and long-term planning and ultimately joint relationship and performance planning. RMR workshop guidance combines current position, future requirements, issues and opportunities. The SC21 Code requires regular strategic and operational dialogue, and RelEX Step 5 expects relationship reviews to be acted upon.
Related Things That Matter
Set simple responsiveness expectationsCRM-22 Reduce customer uncertainty and repeated chasing even when a full answer cannot be given immediately.
Suggested approach
Define a small service standard for important enquiries: acknowledge receipt, name the owner, clarify missing information, state when a substantive response will be provided and update the customer if that commitment changes. Distinguish urgent operational or safety matters from routine requests. Review examples of slow or inadequate responses to identify recurring causes such as unclear ownership, missing data or overloaded specialists.
Useful output / evidence
A practical response protocol and visible ownership for important customer requests.
Domain source basis
RMM Q4 assesses whether responses are absent, reactive, adequate, timely and useful, and at higher levels whether the parties proactively improve responsiveness. RET has a separate Relationship Responsiveness parameter. The SC21 Communication principle requires timely, appropriate dialogue and clear contacts.
Related Things That Matter
Give early warning of problems and changeCRM-23 Prevent avoidable surprises and give both parties time to protect outcomes.
Suggested approach
Agree the types of issue or change that should be raised early and the route to do so. When warning the customer, separate what is known, unknown, assumed and being done; explain likely impact and the next decision point. Do not wait for a complete recovery plan before communicating a credible emerging risk. Afterward, review whether the warning was timely and whether the recipient had enough information to act.
Useful output / evidence
A shared early-warning habit supported by clear triggers and communication structure.
Domain source basis
RMM Q2 values clear, accurate and timely information provided in advance of requirements. Q3 moves from hidden problems and blame to early identification, communicated recovery and pre-emptive joint activity. RET Problem Notification and Resolution similarly progresses from disguised problems to pre-emption. SC21 links openness and shared planning to lower risk and better delivery.
Related Things That Matter
Agree practical working principlesCRM-24 Make expected behaviours and ways of working explicit enough to guide difficult situations.
Suggested approach
For a priority relationship or improvement team, agree five to seven practical principles such as raising issues early, respecting challenge, protecting confidentiality, keeping commitments, making decisions at the right level and separating problem solving from blame. Use the SC21 Code as a starting point rather than writing a lengthy bespoke charter. Refer to the principles during reviews and revisit them when observed behaviour repeatedly falls short.
Useful output / evidence
A short relationship charter or agreed working principles used in real decisions and reviews.
Domain source basis
RMM Q5 explicitly progresses towards jointly agreed behavioural standards and a behavioural charter. RelEX Step 5 includes a Charter and validation of objectives and principles. RET assesses Protocols and Ethics. The SC21 Codes provide ready-made principles for communication, commercial agreements and ethics that can be adopted or tailored.
Related Things That Matter
Discuss trust, behaviours and frictionCRM-25 Address the observable experiences that strengthen or undermine the relationship before they become entrenched.
Suggested approach
Use specific examples rather than asking whether trust is 'good'. Discuss where information is withheld, commitments are doubted, challenge is avoided, interfaces create repeated effort or behaviour changes under pressure. Ask what each party can do differently and choose one or two observable changes to test. Where the customer will not participate, review internal behaviours and the supplier's contribution first.
Useful output / evidence
A small number of agreed behavioural or interface improvements with observable evidence.
Domain source basis
RMM Q15 links trust, openness, flexibility and conflict resolution to joint objectives; Q5 assesses behaviours. RET contains separate parameters for Trust, Openness and Honesty, Personal Relations, Protocols and Relationship Resilience. RelEX Step 7 explicitly requires behaviours and trust to be monitored and improved over time.
Related Things That Matter
Review obstructive commercial arrangementsCRM-26 Identify contract terms, incentives or change mechanisms that are driving delay, defensiveness or poor decisions.
Suggested approach
Ask the people delivering the work which commercial arrangements create ambiguity, repeated approvals, unproductive risk transfer or incentives that conflict with the desired outcomes. Separate genuine contractual constraints from inherited assumptions about what the contract allows. Raise a focused amendment, clarification or operating agreement where the benefit justifies it. Keep the review tied to delivery and value rather than reopening the whole contract without cause.
Useful output / evidence
A prioritised list of commercial barriers and, where agreed, targeted clarifications or amendments.
Domain source basis
RMM Q14 moves from vague or imposed agreements to clear, fair arrangements that incentivise mutual benefits and flexibility. RET assesses Commercial Agreements and Sharing of Risk and Reward. The SC21 Commercial Agreements principle says agreements should be output-focused, support desired behaviours, be tailored to circumstances and include an amendment process to keep them current.
Related Things That Matter
Seek earlier involvement in one decisionCRM-27 Demonstrate the value of supplier input before requirements or solutions become expensive to change.
Suggested approach
Choose one forthcoming requirement, design choice, sourcing decision, support issue or change where earlier input could reduce cost, risk, lead time or rework. Prepare a concise contribution showing the decision, the consequence of late engagement and the insight the supplier can add. Ask for involvement at the earliest practical point and make participation easy. Use the result to build evidence for broader involvement rather than demanding it as a general entitlement.
Useful output / evidence
A specific early-involvement trial and evidence of its effect on the decision or outcome.
Domain source basis
RMM Q13 progresses from no pre-RFQ engagement to early joint development of ideas and requirements. Q8 addresses timely joint participation in product/service development. RET Involvement distinguishes late from early and cross-functional participation. The SC21 Through Life Capability principle explicitly calls for the earliest possible involvement of supply-chain partners.
Related Things That Matter
Share plans and forecasts with confidence levelsCRM-28 Improve forward visibility without presenting uncertain information as a firm commitment.
Suggested approach
Agree the planning horizon, update frequency, information fields and confidence categories that are useful to each party. State assumptions, ranges and known decision dates, and distinguish demand signal from contractual commitment. Discuss material changes early and record the operational or investment decisions that depend on the information. Where the customer shares little, document the minimum visibility needed and the consequences of its absence.
Useful output / evidence
A proportionate forward-view format that supports capacity, supply and investment decisions.
Domain source basis
The SC21 Communication principle requires sharing long-term plans and forecast data and, where appropriate, joint development and alignment. Its business benefits connect accurate forecasting and shared planning to schedule and inventory. RMM Q2, Q11 and Q17 address timely information, managed change and shared risk/opportunity plans. RET assesses strategy visibility and information exchange.
Related Things That Matter
Run joint risk and opportunity reviewsCRM-29 Turn forward information into coordinated protection and value creation.
Suggested approach
For a priority programme or relationship, maintain a short shared view of the most material delivery, capacity, technology, commercial, personnel and lifecycle risks and opportunities. Agree owner, affected outcome, next action and escalation point. Include end-to-end consequences rather than only the risk carried contractually by one party. Review it with the cadence of the work and close items that are no longer material.
Useful output / evidence
A focused joint risk and opportunity register linked to actions and decisions.
Domain source basis
RMM Q17 progresses towards coordinated and end-to-end joint management of risks and opportunities. RelEX Step 5 explicitly calls for joint risk-management processes and a regularly reviewed joint risk register. The SC21 Commercial Agreements principle requires the parties to agree how contract and project risks will be developed, assessed, mitigated and managed.
Related Things That Matter
Keep commitments visible and close themCRM-30 Build confidence by making promises, decisions and review actions easy to track and complete.
Suggested approach
Maintain one concise commitments log covering what was agreed, owner, support needed, due date, current status and evidence of completion. Include supplier and customer commitments where jointly agreed, but do not wait for the customer before controlling internal actions. Review overdue items by cause, not only by date, and explicitly close or renegotiate commitments rather than allowing them to disappear from minutes.
Useful output / evidence
A current commitments log and a reliable follow-through routine.
Domain source basis
RMR 2.9 requires action plans to identify lead and supporting ownership, completion dates and success criteria. RMM Q12 links performance management to transparent plans, measures and continuous improvement, while Q15 links relationships to delivery of objectives. The SC21 Commercial Agreements principle includes the direct requirement to deliver on commitments.
Related Things That Matter
4Measurement and structured relationship review
Choose the right relationship review methodCRM-31 Match the review approach to the relationship's purpose, sensitivity, scale, risk and available participation.
Suggested approach
Decide whether the need is best served by a few interviews, a questionnaire, a workshop, ordinary review dialogue or a combination. Use interviews to draw out sensitive detail, questionnaires to gather a wider consistent view and workshops to reach consensus and agree action. Scale facilitation to complexity and risk. Write down the objective and the decisions the review must enable before selecting the method.
Useful output / evidence
A proportionate review design with clear objective, participants, method and expected outputs.
Domain source basis
RMR section 1 uses risk and complexity to indicate the level of facilitation required. RMR 2.2 compares questionnaires, interviews and workshops, says each has advantages and disadvantages and often recommends data capture followed by a workshop. The source therefore supports method choice rather than defaulting to a survey or meeting.
Related Things That Matter
Design a balanced participant groupCRM-32 Capture the relationship as experienced across its important interfaces without making the exercise unwieldy.
Suggested approach
Include people from both parties who interact with the scoped relationship and can speak to commercial, programme, operational, technical, quality or support aspects as relevant. Avoid selecting only friendly senior contacts or only those involved in current problems. Keep workshop numbers manageable and use interviews or questionnaires to include wider views. Ensure at least one participant on each side has authority to support agreed action.
Useful output / evidence
A participant list that is representative, manageable and capable of acting on the results.
Domain source basis
RMR 2.1 says the review should be balanced and include all stakeholders, with authority to deliver actions. Its workshop guidance notes that effectiveness falls as participant numbers grow and suggests a maximum of around 10-12 for the workshop format. SCRIA requires a cross-functional team representing departments concerned with the product or service.
Related Things That Matter
Protect confidentiality and candourCRM-33 Give participants enough safety to report real concerns rather than polite or politically acceptable answers.
Suggested approach
Explain before data collection how responses and comments will be used, who will see raw material and whether results will be aggregated. Do not attribute comments without permission. Separate the validity of the participant group from disclosure of individual responses. Use an independent or neutral facilitator when power differences, conflict or internal politics are likely to inhibit honesty.
Useful output / evidence
A clear review protocol that supports truthful participation and responsible handling of evidence.
Domain source basis
The RMM instructions require confidentiality of individual results and efforts to prevent disclosure of specific replies and comments. RMR 2.2 and 3.1 repeat the need for anonymity and no cross-contamination of responses. SCRIA states that the process must be voluntary on both sides and notes that an external facilitator may be useful.
Related Things That Matter
Run an RMM on one priority relationshipCRM-34 Obtain a structured multi-stakeholder view of a relationship and turn differences in perception into focused improvement.
Suggested approach
Choose a clearly scoped priority relationship with willing participation. Follow the RMR sequence: engage sponsors, define the relationship and criteria, brief stakeholders, collect customer and supplier perceptions using the RMM questionnaire, analyse the differences, facilitate a discussion to agree the current and desired state, and produce a focused action plan. Protect confidentiality and examine low individual scores as well as averages. Start with one relationship and learn before wider deployment.
Useful output / evidence
An agreed relationship baseline, perception-gap analysis, desired state and Relationship Management Plan.
Domain source basis
RMR sections 2 and 3 explicitly define this closed-loop RMM/RMR process. The supplied RMM questionnaire covers 18 relationship attributes, while the guide says a separate RMM Analysis Workbook collates responses and produces gap, status and low-score outputs. That Analysis Workbook was not included in the supplied files, so a full deployment requires obtaining it or creating an explicitly equivalent analysis with appropriate control and facilitation.
Related Things That Matter
Use RMM descriptors for internal preparationCRM-35 Prepare for better customer engagement when a joint RMM is not yet realistic.
Suggested approach
Use the 18 RMM attribute descriptions as prompts in an internal workshop: what evidence do we have, what might different customer stakeholders experience, where are we relying on assumption, and what can we improve without customer participation? Do not present the result as the customer's score or as a joint RMM. Identify the evidence and access needed to validate the internal view later, and select a few supplier-controlled improvements.
Useful output / evidence
An internal hypothesis of relationship strengths, risks and validation needs, clearly distinguished from customer evidence.
Domain source basis
The RMM instructions say the questionnaire captures a participant's perception of the other party, so it should not be silently repurposed as a self-score. However, RelEX's 'Appropriate Relationship' note explicitly says that when a customer does not engage, a supplier may assess its Relationship Excellence capabilities in isolation to prepare for future engagement. This action uses the RMM content as preparation, not as a substitute for customer perception.
Related Things That Matter
Use RET for a specific product or service relationshipCRM-36 Diagnose one defined supply relationship in depth and create a jointly owned improvement direction.
Suggested approach
Where the original RET and suitable facilitation are available, follow the SCRIA sequence: agree criterion weightings, score perceptions separately, discuss gaps, agree the actual state, agree the desired state, personalise definitions for the relationship, undertake improvement activities and reassess movement. Use a cross-functional group and keep the focus on one product or service. Treat the scores as a stimulus for discussion and action, not as the value of the exercise in themselves.
Useful output / evidence
Actual, desired and movement profiles with relationship-specific definitions and improvement activity.
Domain source basis
SCRIA Chapter 6, pp. 6-1 to 6-4, explicitly describes the RET purpose, prerequisites, voluntary participation, cross-functional team and six-step process. It stresses that the computer programme only simplifies the tool and that value comes from focused discussion and action. The supplied materials contain the chapter and RET parameter content but not the original PC programme, so use as the original tool requires obtaining it; the content can still structure a facilitated discussion if that limitation is made explicit.
Related Things That Matter
Compare perceptions and investigate outliersCRM-37 Find the differences and minority experiences that averages can conceal.
Suggested approach
Compare customer and supplier views by attribute and stakeholder group, then inspect the spread of individual responses. Discuss large gaps, low outliers and contradictory comments before drawing conclusions. Ask what different experiences, interfaces or assumptions explain the pattern. Avoid resolving disagreement by simply averaging positions; where evidence remains uncertain, record what must be tested or clarified.
Useful output / evidence
A prioritised set of perception gaps and the evidence or discussion needed to understand them.
Domain source basis
RMR 2.4 and 2.5 make perception comparison and gap analysis central to the process and explicitly warn that averages can obscure individual low scores. The RMM Analysis Workbook is described as counting 0 and 1 responses for prioritisation. SCRIA Steps 2 and 3 produce perception and gap profiles to facilitate discussion of the actual position.
Related Things That Matter
Agree current and desired relationship statesCRM-38 Create a shared baseline and a realistic direction for improvement.
Suggested approach
Facilitate enough discussion to agree what the relationship is like now, including significant differences that should not be smoothed away. Then agree the desired state by attribute or theme, choosing only the level needed for the business. Use interim targets where the final ambition is distant. Record the practical meaning of current and desired states so participants know what evidence of movement would look like.
Useful output / evidence
An owned As-Is baseline, To-Be target and relationship-specific definitions of progress.
Domain source basis
RMR 2.7 says consensus on the As-Is is the baseline for joint improvement and warns that failure to agree it raises the risk of failure. RMR 2.8 requires participants to agree and own the To-Be and recommends interim targets. SCRIA Steps 3-5 similarly agree actual and desired scores and allow personalised definitions.
Related Things That Matter
Create balanced relationship measuresCRM-39 Track whether the relationship is producing the experiences and outcomes that matter, not only delivery and quality scores.
Suggested approach
Choose a small set combining operational results with forward-looking and relational evidence. Depending on the relationship, include commitments completed, forecast stability, issue-resolution time, customer effort, perception themes, access, risk reduction, value delivered, trust/behaviour observations or innovation progress. Define owner, source, frequency and how each measure will influence action. Remove measures that are not used.
Useful output / evidence
A concise relationship scorecard linked to objectives and decisions.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 7 explicitly requires monitoring outputs, risk, alignment, behaviours and trust, plus value creation and innovation. RMM Q12 calls for transparent performance plans and measures, ideally reviewed jointly. The SC21 Continuous Improvement principle names schedule adherence, quality and through-life cost, while the broader business-benefit list shows that relationship outcomes extend well beyond those measures.
Related Things That Matter
Reassess and review movementCRM-40 Check whether actions changed the relationship and use the learning to shape the next cycle.
Suggested approach
Set the next progress review when the action plan is agreed. Review whether actions were completed, whether improvements became normal practice and whether unintended issues or opportunities emerged. Repeat selected questions, the RMM/RET or a lighter perception check when enough time has passed for movement to be meaningful. Decide whether to continue, revise or stop each action and update the desired state if circumstances have changed.
Useful output / evidence
Evidence of movement, embedded improvement and an updated next-cycle plan.
Domain source basis
RMR 2.9 requires the next review date in the plan, and 2.11 defines the closed-loop review around effective deployment, completed and embedded actions, and whether to repeat the process. SCRIA Step 6 reassesses the relationship and produces a movement profile. RelEX Step 7 requires continuous review and improvement.
Related Things That Matter
5Improvement, value and learning
Build a focused relationship improvement planCRM-41 Convert insight into a manageable set of actions that can actually be completed.
Suggested approach
Select a small number of actions tied to the agreed current-to-desired gaps and the outcomes that matter. For each, name the lead, supporting party, completion point, dependencies, success evidence and review date. Include supplier-controlled actions where customer participation is limited. Keep the plan visible in normal governance and close, revise or remove actions explicitly rather than carrying an ever-growing list.
Useful output / evidence
A Relationship Management Plan containing a focused, owned and measurable action set.
Domain source basis
RMR 2.9 advises focusing on five or six key actions and specifies scope, participants, analysis, ownership, support, completion dates and success criteria. It says to think about outcomes rather than problems and that the action need not sit with the party that identified the issue. RelEX Steps 5 and 7 require assessment results to become improvement actions and be maintained in relationship plans/CSIP.
Related Things That Matter
Prioritise quick wins and strategic actionsCRM-42 Show early value while retaining attention on improvements that matter but take longer.
Suggested approach
Assess proposed actions by expected benefit and difficulty, then build a balanced portfolio. Select one or two easy, high-benefit changes that can demonstrate credibility, plus the few harder actions justified by their strategic or risk impact. Secure sponsor support for actions crossing organisational boundaries or requiring investment. Avoid filling the plan with attractive but low-value activity simply because it is easy.
Useful output / evidence
A sequenced action portfolio with visible early gains and sponsored longer-term work.
Domain source basis
RMR 2.9 explicitly uses a gain/benefit versus ease/difficulty matrix. It says easy high-benefit actions should be prioritised as quick wins, while difficult high-benefit actions need strong sponsorship and regular review. It also states that achieving small improvements is preferable to not achieving 'blue sky' targets.
Related Things That Matter
Create a reinforcing feedback loopCRM-43 Show people that their insight leads to action, visible improvement and a reason to contribute again.
Suggested approach
After reviews or feedback, tell participants what was heard, what will be done, what will not be done and why. Report completed actions and the observed effect using customer-relevant evidence. Invite confirmation or correction and use the result to identify the next improvement. Share success internally and with the customer without overclaiming or exposing confidential responses.
Useful output / evidence
A repeatable heard-done-result-next cycle that strengthens participation and continuous improvement.
Domain source basis
RMR 2.10 requires all participants to receive results and the agreed plan, says involvement does not stop at the workshop and advises advertising success. RMR 2.11 turns consequences of previous actions into the next planning cycle. RelEX Step 7 requires continuous relationship improvement and embeds periodic review results in the CSIP.
Related Things That Matter
Establish an issue resolution logCRM-44 Make important relationship and delivery issues visible, owned and resolved at cause rather than repeatedly escalated.
Suggested approach
Record significant issues with impact, owner, immediate containment, likely cause, agreed resolution, target date and recurrence-prevention evidence. Distinguish a problem's contractual liability from the practical activity needed to protect outcomes. Review aged and recurring issues and escalate blocked decisions. Close an issue only when the relevant customer or internal stakeholder can see that the agreed outcome has been achieved.
Useful output / evidence
A current issue register and a disciplined resolution and escalation process.
Domain source basis
RMM Q3 progresses from hidden problems and blame to early, joint and pre-emptive resolution. RET Problem Notification and Resolution has the same direction. RelEX Step 7 explicitly requires a maintained issue-resolution process and names an issues register as evidence. The SC21 business benefits link joint problem solving to lower programme risk.
Related Things That Matter
Create and maintain a value registerCRM-45 Make the benefits of relationship improvement visible across cost, performance, risk, capability and customer experience.
Suggested approach
For each material improvement, record the baseline, action, intended benefit, beneficiary, evidence source, owner, status and realised or forecast outcome. Include qualitative value where it matters, such as reduced effort, confidence, earlier access or better decision-making, but describe the evidence. Distinguish value created from cost or risk merely transferred between parties. Review the register with sponsors and use it to decide where further effort is justified.
Useful output / evidence
A living record of value sought, delivered and evidenced through the relationship.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 6 explicitly calls for establishing, recording and reviewing what each party believes value improvement is delivering and names a value register as evidence. RMM Q9 requires jointly agreed objectives, deployed plans and demonstrated benefits to all parties. RET's Value parameter moves beyond sole cost focus, and SC21 lists a broad range of business benefits.
Related Things That Matter
Form a time-limited improvement teamCRM-46 Bring the right people together to solve one important cross-boundary problem or opportunity.
Suggested approach
Create a small team with a defined outcome, scope, leader, customer/supplier participation, decision route and end date. Use it only where ordinary ownership has not been enough or where several functions must redesign an interface. Give the team access to relevant evidence and authority to test a change. Close the team when the improvement is embedded and return ongoing control to normal roles.
Useful output / evidence
A focused improvement charter, tested change and clear hand-back to normal operations.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 6 explicitly says to establish improvement teams as required to address problems and opportunities collectively. The SC21 Through Life Capability principle calls for integrated multi-function and cross-company teams, while RMM Q3 and Q10 support joint problem solving and innovation that produce benefit.
Related Things That Matter
Create an innovation and capability backlogCRM-47 Capture useful ideas and development needs without committing scarce resources to every suggestion.
Suggested approach
Maintain a short list of product, process, technology, skills and support ideas emerging from customer relationships. For each, record the customer/end-user problem, expected value, relationship dependency, evidence, cost, risk and next validation step. Review ideas with relevant technical and commercial people, and progress only those with credible fit and sponsorship. Feed selected items into normal development, investment or improvement processes.
Useful output / evidence
A prioritised backlog linking relationship insight to capability and innovation decisions.
Domain source basis
RMM Q7-Q10 cover capability management, product/service development, value improvement and innovation. RET assesses relationship-specific investment, product and process capability, process development and innovation. RelEX Step 6 requires mechanisms to generate, capture and monitor ideas and innovation. The SC21 Through Life principle links innovation and capability to lower through-life cost and end-user value.
Related Things That Matter
Capture and embed lessons across relationshipsCRM-48 Turn experience from one customer relationship into better practice elsewhere without breaching confidentiality.
Suggested approach
After reviews, recovery activity, transitions or improvement projects, capture what happened, why, what changed and what should be reused or avoided. Look for recurring patterns across accounts. Update plans, templates, training, responsibilities, operating processes or contract guidance so the lesson changes future work. Remove or anonymise customer-sensitive detail before wider sharing and check later whether the changed practice was used and effective.
Useful output / evidence
A small set of embedded practice changes and reusable, appropriately protected lessons.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 3 requires improvements from internal assessment to be fed into planning; Step 6 requires learning from experience; Step 8 requires lessons to be fed into future plans. RMR 2.11 uses each review cycle to plan the next. The SC21 Continuous Improvement principle encourages documenting best practice and sharing learning, while RelEX also expects plans, contracts or operating processes to be updated where necessary.
Related Things That Matter
6Lifecycle, resilience and relationship change
Plan lifecycle touchpoints and transitionsCRM-49 Maintain the right ownership, information and customer support as work moves between bidding, development, production, service and end-of-life.
Suggested approach
Map the major lifecycle transitions for the product, service or programme and identify which stakeholders, decisions, knowledge and support obligations change at each point. Plan handovers before responsibilities move, including customer contacts, open issues, configuration or support knowledge, commercial changes and new measures. Review the relationship ambition and dialogue rhythm at each transition rather than carrying the previous arrangement forward automatically.
Useful output / evidence
A lifecycle relationship map and transition checklist for the relevant programme or offering.
Domain source basis
The SC21 Communication principle requires communications to be maintained throughout the product lifecycle, and Through Life Capability Management calls for integrated solutions and early involvement. RelEX Step 8 explicitly names transitions such as production to product support and NPI and requires early joint planning, business continuity and customer support.
Related Things That Matter
Test relationship resilienceCRM-50 Find out whether the relationship can still function when people, performance or circumstances come under pressure.
Suggested approach
Use a short scenario discussion around plausible stresses such as loss of a key contact, a major quality escape, sudden demand change, a disputed requirement, cyber disruption or failure of an important sub-tier. Ask how information would flow, who would decide, what commitments would be protected and where the relationship would be vulnerable. Convert the most important gaps into access, knowledge, escalation or continuity actions.
Useful output / evidence
A relationship resilience assessment and a small number of practical strengthening actions.
Domain source basis
RET has a specific Relationship Resilience parameter and asks whether personal relations withstand pressure. RMM Q15 links trust, confidence, flexibility and resolution of differences to effective delivery. RMR's risk/complexity model says more demanding relationships need stronger management and facilitation. Scenario testing is a practical way to examine the condition those sources describe.
Related Things That Matter
Create continuity and handover plansCRM-51 Protect relationship knowledge, delivery and customer support when key people, organisations or operating arrangements change.
Suggested approach
For priority relationships, identify single-person dependencies and the information or authority that would be lost. Name deputies, maintain current contact and commitments records, and plan structured handovers for foreseeable role changes. Include customer communication, open issues, access permissions, key decisions and support obligations. Test that another person can find and understand what they need without relying on the departing individual's memory.
Useful output / evidence
A proportionate continuity plan and completed handover evidence for critical relationship roles.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 8 requires transition planning for business continuity and customer support and regular evaluation of personnel and performance changes affecting the relationship. Its Steps 2 and 5 also require knowledge management. The SC21 Code requires communication across the lifecycle. The sources imply that continuity depends on planned transfer of relationship knowledge and responsibility.
Related Things That Matter
Decide whether to grow, repair, maintain, reduce or exitCRM-52 Manage the relationship deliberately as its value, fit, performance and circumstances change.
Suggested approach
At an agreed interval or lifecycle transition, review mutual benefit, strategic fit, performance, risk, dependency, customer willingness and future opportunity. Choose the appropriate direction and the conditions for success: deepen, maintain, recover, make more transactional, reduce exposure or exit. Define actions to protect obligations, customer support, business continuity, knowledge and reputation. Do not allow a formerly important relationship to consume attention indefinitely through inertia.
Useful output / evidence
A documented relationship direction and, where needed, a growth, recovery, transition or exit plan.
Domain source basis
RelEX Step 8 is explicitly a Changes in Relationship 'Growth or Exit strategy' and requires regular reassessment of mutual benefit, future opportunity, transition, continuity and customer support. RMR 2.8 sets the appropriate relationship type and 2.11 reviews whether it remains right. RET parameters for Strategy for Relationship, Relationship Development and Mutual Destiny assess whether direction is actively pursued.
Related Things That Matter
Source key
- RMM — Relationship Management Measurement / Relationship Measurement Matrix questionnaire
- RMR — Relationship Management Review user guide
- RelEX — SC21 Relationship Excellence workbook
- SCRIA — Supply Chain Relationships In Action, Chapter 6 Relationship Evaluation Tool
- RET — Relationship Evaluation Tool parameters contained in the supplied RET material
- SC21 Codes of Practice — the supplied Supply Chain Relationships and Supply Chain Cooperation & Collaboration documents
