Supplier performance is continuously evaluated across consumer services providers (hotels, restaurants, hair salons, etc.) and business suppliers (on-time delivery, cost performance, communication, etc.). It is widely accepted that being a good supplier pays off. After all, the customer is king.
In comparison, there is surprisingly little research on what it means to be a good customer. Yet, I observe that the best customers consistently gain greater rewards from their suppliers. In fact, not acting as a good customer can be costly and dramatically limit the size and sustainability of a customer’s kingdom.
Being a good client is not about generosity or leniency; it is about effectiveness and efficiency. Good clients attract better service, greater commitment, and loyalty. They shape their suppliers into better versions of themselves. In doing so, they contribute to an ecosystem where both sides thrive.
Good clients articulate their objectives with clarity and communicate changes promptly. They set high yet reasonable expectations, encouraging suppliers to excel while balancing ambition with feasibility.
They also engage with their suppliers early and value their expertise and judgment, fostering an environment where open dialogue and constructive challenges are encouraged.
Good clients also understand that suppliers operate within constraints and avoid unreasonable demands, as discussed in ‘The Right Use of Power’ (2022.) They also help prioritize deliverables.
A good client also recognizes that pushing a supplier to the brink of unsustainable pricing can result in corner-cutting and disengagement. Fairness is not a concession. It is a strategic investment that minimizes inefficiencies caused by supplier turnover.
Finally, a good client does not just provide constructive feedback. They actively seek it.
Some ride-sharing platforms have recognized the value of mutual accountability, rating both drivers and passengers. This reputation system model, now adopted across gig economy platforms, encourages good behavior, filters out problematic market participants, and facilitates trade.
Every concept has its limits. Black Mirror’s ‘Nosedive’ (2016) imagines an omnipresent individual rating system that dictates socio-economic opportunities—a model that breeds anxiety and conformity.
Putting extremes aside, it remains that client behavior shapes market outcomes: good customers receive better service, build competitive advantages, and elevate the entire economy.
One of the greatest emperors of all times, Augustus, ruled with auctoritas (moral or social authority) rather than potestas (legal authority) and imperium (military authority). His exceptional reign paved the way for two centuries of Pax Romana and a golden age of technological and economic progress.
Successful client kingdoms are not built on the fear or obedience of their subjects but on respect, trust, and a flourishing trade.
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