Customer |
Monday, 8th November 2004 |
A customer pays a supplier
That seems clear enough.
| Software supplier |
 |
Software customer |
The supply runs left to right, the money flows right to left.
Payments and supplies have a direct relation.
- Satisfied customers are happy to pay for products that are well worth the price.
- Dissatisfied customers say bye-bye and find another supplier.
Direct customer-supplier relations improve quality.
A supplier must keep his customers content.
Intermediary
Things get more complicated when a third party comes into the play.
|
/ |
Software buyer |
| Supplier, Software writer |
|
| |
|
\ |
Agent, Software payer |
For It contract work an there often is an intermediate between customer and the software writer: an agent.
The IT specialist will have two customers:
- the software buyer to discuss the desired software, the product.
- the agent to discuss just the price.
This gives some tension.
| Customer |
Agent |
|
The customers wants the best possible software but is unable to negotiate directly about the rate of the IT specialist.
| The agent wishes the lowest possible "purchase" price, but is not interested in the software.
|
Who is the real customer here?
- The customer that receives the product?
- or the one that pays the invoice?
The paying customer has the most decision power in this kind of situations.
This brings a potential danger of
lower quality.
The flow of invoices hampers the interest of the software receiver.
The conflicting interests make the business relation less capable of repetition.
Partner
| Supplier, Software writer |
\ |
|
|
|
Software receiver |
| Partner |
/ |
|
Another tricky triangular relation is the one with a business partner.
Is such a partner
- a supplier that yields more than his products costs?
- a customer that yields money directly?
Conclusion
My conclusion:
A business relation in
a triangle is way too complex for me.
The thesis at the top of this story simplifies things.
| Supplier |
|
SUMit Roster Software |
|
Customer |
Flatten all triangles by looking at the money flow:
- A business relation that costs money is a supplier.
- A business relation that brings money is a customer.
|
One and the same relation can be supplier now and customer next time.
The flow of money determines the roles.
Such a business relation is healthy if both parties find it capable of repetition.
It must be attractive in many ways.
The financial aspect is the easiest criterion for all business transactions:
All deliveries must be well worth its price.
Till
next nut,
Nut
IM:
Mohammed Yasser Abdul-Raoef Qudwa al-Husseini, fighter for peace, 24 aug 1929 - 11 nov 2004
