Business Arrogance: The Customer Relationship

I am rereading Sam Walton: Made in America.  Sam had this to say in the early days of Wal-Mart:

Sometimes it was difficult getting the bigger companies - the Procter & Gambles, Eastman Kodaks, whoever - to call on us at all, and when they did they would dictate to us how much they would sell us and at what price.  I don't mind saying that we were the victims of a good bit of arrogance from a lot of vendors in those days.  They didn't need us, and they acted that way. 

I wonder what price was paid ( and still are paying) over the years by P&G and all of the other companies that looked down on Wal-Mart?  Some might say that Wal-Mart themselves exudes business arrogance.  I bet P&G would.  P&G however, is not the customer and that's the difference.

The perception of business arrogance may vary.  If a business doesn't meet a customer's demand to lower a price, it should not arbitrarily be called arrogant.  If it does so without dignity and respect toward the customer - then that is a different story.  A certain amount of dignity and respect can always be offered towards the customer, even if that customer is always trying to take the company down at the knees.  We all recognize the customer from south of Heaven's border, but it is still the right thing to do.

The customer relationship equation can always be broken down to one factor:  Do the right thing.  Being arrogant is never the right thing to do.  It doesn't matter if the customer is Wal-Mart or Joe's Hardware store. 

A most excellent guideline to follow in building solid customer relationships is the value of Ho'ohanohano from Rosa Say's book Managing With Aloha.   Ho'ohanohano says to honor the dignity of others and to conduct yourself with distinction by honoring your own dignity and self-respect.  If one incorporates the value of Ho'ohanohano into their life or business, it is practically impossible to be arrogant.

Postscript:  I realize some might say that P&G hasn't done too bad over the years having Wal-Mart as a customer.  I'd be willing to bet however, if one cuts through all of P&G's Wal-Mart is a wonderful business partner rhetoric, they'd find billions of extra dollars that found their way to Wal-Mart.