A high-tech global manufacturer decided to set up a global accounts program. They targeted their 200 top customers and were ready to pilot the program. Then some unknown genius had asked: “Shouldn’t we find out if they want to be treated as one of our global accounts?” The other decision makers agreed and so representatives went out to ask that very question of the targeted accounts.

What they found surprised them. Of the 200 global customer targets, 73 of them didn’t want such a relationship. What they wanted was cheap product and they tended to say, “Take the money that you would be spending on making us a global account and deduct it from your prices.”

Just asking that simple question saved the high-tech company millions of dollars in relationship management costs. And it strengthened the relationships with the more transactional customers.

The Moral? Just because you think it’s a value to the customer doesn’t mean it is. Ask before investing.