Partnering for success: an overview of customer/supplier partnering

As customer satisfaction continues to drive businesses, telecommunications companies are forging partnerships that are aimed at the common goals of improved quality, reduced costs, and business success. The evolved customer/supplier partnering model that is being applied in the telecommunications and other industries is illustrated. This model promotes an "us" relationship focused on mutual success, contrasted to the "we/they" relationship supported by the historical view. This article provides examples of customer/supplier partnering as it exists in today\´s U.S. telecommunications industry. The authors provide an overview and several specific processes that exemplify the growing move toward customer/supplier partnering. Three perspectives are offered: that of the service provider, the service provider agent, and the system supplier.<>