The Relationship Edge in Business: Connecting with Customers and Colleagues When It Counts (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Wally Wood (Contributor) "Positive relationships-with customers, with suppliers, and with employees-are the basic unit of every business..." (more)
Key Phrases: someone treasures, positive business relationships, strong business relationships, Relationship Pyramid, Mike Accardi, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Acuff, president of the Delta Leadership Group, believes that everyone can succeed at any livelihood by mastering the art of relationships. Acuff, who had a long career in pharmaceutical sales, defines the three keys to "relationship edge" as having the right mindset, asking the right questions and doing the right thing. The book develops these principles and uses real-life examples to show readers what types of behavior and conversations lead to success. For example, a sales person can offer to help a prospective customer without pitching a particular product, and often, because of this "goodwill," the would-be client ends up a steady customer. An employee at a large company makes a point of treating everyone equally, sending birthday greetings to staff in different departments. When her position is eliminated, she has a number of colleagues she can ask for help in finding a new job. Acuff says that asking other people about their lives outside of work is often a crucial step in forming a lasting business relationship. He includes a list of questions designed to stimulate conversation including "What do you do when you're not working?" "Do you actually get to see any teams play?" and "Where is your favorite place to vacation?" The author's reliance on quotes from just a handful of people, generally not well known, is a little tiresome, but overall, Acuff's casual, low-key writing style is appealing. The book should be particularly helpful to less experienced business people, who are more likely to try the recommended strategies than seasoned executives.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Most organizations train their sales staff to focus on product features and benefits and neglect the crucial aspect of building long-term relationships with clients. Acuff, president of Delta Leadership Group, uses a sincere approach in his practice of forming lasting relationships with others without keeping score or expecting paybacks. This spreading of goodwill is like the sowing of seeds that will sprout to benefit both your business and personal life. He introduces the "Relationship Pyramid," with the largest group of relative strangers at the bottom and people who highly value your relationship at the top. Getting to the top of the "Relationship Pyramid" is a long-term proposition, and you have to put in the time and effort to get others to respect you or bond with you. Acuff suggests getting to know your clients better by getting them to talk about their favorite subject--themselves. He offers 20 questions designed to get people to open up, discusses ways to alleviate shyness, and suggests the sharing of a meal. A refreshing break from the winner-take-all approach to salesmanship. David Siegfried
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471477125
• ISBN-13: 978-0471477129
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #94,571 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for all true (and aspiring) sales professionals, March 27, 2005

By	Heather Werner (NY) - See all my reviews

This book is a MUST READ for true professionals! I am VP of Business Development at Myles Mortgage Services. I have over 5 years in the mortgage industry and 10 years in sales. I was always attentive to my clients' needs, but employing the simple (but crucial) methods offered in this book increased customer loyalty and my rate of referred clients exponentially. This book gives away the secret to personalized, effective means to reach out to my clients and show them I care in a memorable way!

4.0 out of 5 stars A good review of relationship building techniques, November 16, 2008

By	Saravanan Velrajan "Saro" (Milpitas, CA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Are you trying to find ways of building or extending your network? Are you interested in learning some techniques to improve your business relationships? Jerry Acuff gives the tool kit that you can carry with you.

This book talks about the different types of relationship levels that you can have with others ("The Relationship Pyramid"). This book highlights a number of techniques that includes questioning, caring, connecting, and setting up goals. The book not only helps you to develop relationships but also to maintain them.

If you have already read a few books about developing relationships or networking, this book will just be a review of the techniques that you previously learned in the other books.

The book gives a lot of real life situations & examples that makes it an interesting read.

4.0 out of 5 stars Relationship selling works, May 6, 2007

By	Bob Kaplan - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Great "back-to-basics" book. No big revelations, but wonderful reinforcement that will help all salespeople who are selling in an environment where relationships really count.