Business Relationships

The Road Less Traveled

http://cornandsoybeandigest.com/marketing/0301-chambers-farms-grew-markets/index.html

Iowa soybean farmer, Norm Chambers, has been busy expanding his target market to overseas purchasers during the last two decades. Utilizing his past networking to obtain current customers as well as gaining thorough knowledge of the Japanese culture of business, Chambers has been able to attain a buyer-seller relationship that greatly benefits both businesses. Moving out of the spot market through growing a value-added crop has allowed Chambers to capitalize on premiums that are apparent as a producer moves toward food and the consumer end of the continuum. There were multiple risks with partnering with an international contact, and the suppliers are currently feeling one such pressure as competition continuously increases in their industry. Theodore Levitt states, “The relationship between a seller and buyer seldom ends when a sale is made. The sale, then, merely consummates the courtship, at which point the marriage begins.” Chambers has been loyal, fair, flexible, considerate and compliant throughout the course of his “marriage” with his Japanese partner, which has resulted in a healthy, long-term relationship between buyer and seller.

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I agree completely. I seriously hope this boy was well-compensated. Chambers didn’t stand a chance without continuous help and guidance from someone who knows the culture, social norms, business relationships, etc. This is an extremely important lesson for other businesses in the agriculture/food industry. Know the market you are selling to. Meaning: do the research etc. of the potential for the product but also for the potential of the relationship with the buyer. Chambers didn’t rely solely on prior contact, but rather his own personal dictionary of Japanese culture, preferences, knowledge, etc. Though this may mean other companies must incur costs, the long-term benefits of penetrating the foreign markets and establishing a strong business relationship will more than outweigh these initial costs.

leigh2, 2 years ago | Flag
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Good points with the analogy. I find it very essential in this particular situation, how large of a role the foreign exchange student played. Without prior knowledge of business relationships and business interactions in foreign countries, this partnership would never have developed. As the U.S. continues to develop its business interactions with other countries, the stress needs to be on researching the “do’s and do not’s” of foreign business interactions.

west6, 2 years ago | Flag
Exactly the point I am making with this blog. Relationships never work unless the two parties are dedicated to providing the best possible product experience within profitable parameters. This is why I included the marriage analogy, both husband and wife (buyer and seller) have to work diligently every single day on the relationship they have. One cannot do all the giving while the other is doing the taking, it won’t work out in the end. Also, one can’t settle for mediocre. Each partner in the relationship, whether in the food industry, or any other sector of business or society, must strive to give 110% to make the relationship healthy and long-lasting.

moss1, 2 years ago | Flag
Competition is natural in markets. Chambers needed to differentiate his product to provide the buyer with a value-added product, which he did. The article states that his share in the foreign buyer’s portfolio is expected to increase. This is what buyer-seller relationships are all about. Both the buyer and the seller need to constantly work towards providing the best possible product or services that are bundled with the product to stay a dominant buyer/seller in the other’s market.

meganm, 2 years ago | Flag
I agree, but you can see why maybe it is a better idea to negotiate with large companies or farmer cooperatives instead of a relatively small farmer. He is losing his market share, and this relationship seems to be one of many for the Asian buyers. Chambers is facing immense competition, which may lead to the end of this “ideal” relationship.

SarahVogt, 2 years ago | Flag

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