“So I’m really confused… My company works their backsides off to deliver services to the customer, we are all doing beyond what we need to do, but still the customer feedback is ‘okay’. Okay? Seriously!”
This statement reflects a familiar frustration experienced by many organizations today. Teams put in enormous effort to deliver services that exceed expectations, yet the response from customers remains lukewarm or simply “okay.” Why does this disconnect occur? What causes organizations to struggle despite their dedication and hard work? Understanding these questions requires an exploration of the relationship between service providers and their customers, especially in the context of evolving business environments.
The Impact of the Global Pandemic on Customer Expectations
The global pandemic has intensified the challenges faced by organizations in managing customer relationships. The rapid shift to remote work, the acceleration of digital transformation, and the disruption of traditional service delivery models have altered customer needs and expectations dramatically. Customers now demand more agility, responsiveness, and personalized service than ever before.
Organizations have had to adapt quickly, often under immense pressure, which has sometimes resulted in gaps between what customers expect and what providers deliver. Even when service providers strive to meet these new demands, the feedback they receive can feel underwhelming. This situation has forced many businesses to reconsider how they understand and measure customer satisfaction and value.
Turning to Frameworks for Guidance
In response to these challenges, many organizations have adopted established frameworks such as ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) to help guide their service management practices. ITIL provides structured processes and best practices designed to improve service delivery and customer satisfaction.
ITIL’s focus includes understanding the service provider’s consumers, defining service packages, and managing service quality. These elements help organizations establish consistency and efficiency in their service offerings. However, while ITIL can direct attention toward critical operational aspects, it does not automatically solve the deeper problem of truly understanding what the customer values most.
The Importance of the Customer Journey and Touchpoints
One of the key lessons learned from applying ITIL and other service management approaches is the significance of mapping the customer journey. The customer journey encompasses all the interactions and touchpoints a customer has with the service provider—from initial awareness through purchase, delivery, support, and renewal.
By analyzing these touchpoints, organizations can better comprehend the customer experience, identify pain points, and highlight opportunities for improvement. This comprehensive view is essential for shifting the focus from internal processes to the customer’s perspective.
Outcomes Over Outputs: Shifting the Focus
Traditional service management has often been output-driven, emphasizing the delivery of specific services or technical features. However, a more effective approach centers on outcomes—the actual results or benefits the customer receives from the service. Understanding outcomes means asking not just what is delivered, but how it helps the customer achieve their goals, solve problems, or create value. This outcome-based view encourages service providers to align their offerings with what truly matters to customers rather than just delivering predefined features or functions.
Changing the Mindset from Outputs to Outcomes
Shifting from an output focus to an outcome focus requires a fundamental change in mindset for many organizations. Instead of measuring success by the volume or quality of services delivered, organizations must assess how those services contribute to the customer’s broader business objectives. For example, a technology provider might traditionally track metrics such as system uptime or number of tickets resolved. While these are important operational indicators, they don’t fully capture whether the technology enables the customer to increase productivity, reduce costs, or improve their own customer satisfaction.
The challenge lies in moving beyond the “what” of service delivery to the “why” and “so what.” What is the purpose behind the service? What difference does it make to the customer? To answer these questions, service providers need to engage deeply with customers to understand their strategic priorities and the outcomes they seek. This often involves active dialogue, collaborative planning, and iterative feedback loops that inform continuous improvement.
Flexibility and Agility in Service Delivery
Adopting an outcome-driven approach also means services need to be designed and delivered with flexibility and adaptability in mind. Customers operate in dynamic environments where priorities can shift rapidly due to market changes, regulatory pressures, or technological advances. Providers who rigidly focus on predefined outputs may struggle to respond effectively to these shifts. Conversely, focusing on outcomes encourages a more agile mindset, where services can be adjusted or tailored as customer needs evolve.
Measuring and Demonstrating Value
Another important aspect of the outcome focus is the ability to measure and demonstrate value. Outcomes provide a clearer and more meaningful basis for evaluating the impact of services than outputs alone. This can improve transparency and trust in the relationship between service provider and customer. When customers see tangible benefits such as increased revenue, improved operational efficiency, or enhanced user experience directly linked to the services provided, they are more likely to view the relationship positively and maintain long-term partnerships.
Driving Innovation Through Outcome Focus
Focusing on outcomes supports innovation and continuous value creation. Rather than delivering a fixed set of features, service providers can explore new ways to help customers achieve better results. This might involve leveraging emerging technologies, introducing process improvements, or co-developing solutions with customers. Such an approach fosters a culture of collaboration and shared success, which benefits both parties.
Customizing Outcomes for Different Customers
It’s also important to recognize that outcomes are inherently customer-specific and context-dependent. What constitutes a valuable outcome for one customer may differ significantly for another. For instance, in healthcare, one provider’s priority might be reducing patient wait times, while another’s could be improving diagnostic accuracy. An outcome-based service management approach requires tailoring services to these unique requirements rather than applying a “one-size-fits-all” model.
The Role of Business Relationship Managers in Outcome Delivery
In practice, implementing an outcome-driven service approach involves redefining roles and responsibilities within the service provider organization. Business Relationship Managers (BRMs), for example, become essential in bridging the gap between customer expectations and service delivery capabilities. They help translate customer business goals into measurable outcomes and ensure that service teams stay aligned with those objectives.
Benefits of Focusing on Outcomes
Shifting the focus from outputs to outcomes transforms how services are designed, delivered, and evaluated. It promotes a customer-centric mindset, drives greater value realization, and fosters stronger, more strategic partnerships. Organizations that embrace this shift position themselves to not only meet customer needs more effectively but also to anticipate future demands and innovate continuously in an ever-changing business landscape..
Defining Customer Value in Service Delivery
What does value mean to a customer? This question is deceptively simple but crucial in understanding why feedback often seems indifferent or “okay” despite significant efforts.
Common Assumptions About Customer Needs
Service providers frequently operate under the assumption that they know what customers want. This assumption is common across many industries. For example, technology companies design mobile phones or laptops loaded with numerous features and apps, assuming these innovations meet consumer desires.
However, this assumption can be misguided. The actual value of a feature or service depends on the individual customer’s needs and context. A high-resolution camera on a mobile phone may be invaluable to one user but irrelevant to another who prioritizes battery life. Similarly, a laptop loaded with various ports might appeal to some but frustrate others who miss traditional features like an optical drive.
The Danger of Provider-Centric Service Design
When service providers dictate what customers need without engaging them directly, they risk delivering misaligned offerings. This disconnect can lead to wasted resources, missed opportunities, and, ultimately, dissatisfaction. Providers may deliver “shiny” features or complex services that do not resonate with customers’ true priorities.
This provider-centric design often overlooks the diversity of customer segments and individual preferences. What is valuable for one customer may be inconsequential or even bothersome to another.
Recognizing Individual and Segment Value Differences
Value is subjective and varies widely between customers, industries, and market segments. Some customers may prioritize cost savings, while others value speed, customization, or ease of use. Understanding these differences is fundamental for tailoring service delivery.
By appreciating that value is not one-size-fits-all, organizations can move away from standardized service packages toward more flexible, customer-focused solutions.
The Simple but Overlooked Solution: Ask the Customer
The most straightforward way to understand customer value is to ask them directly. Engaging customers in conversations about their needs, preferences, and pain points provides valuable insights that cannot be gleaned from assumptions or internal data alone.
Customer feedback mechanisms, interviews, focus groups, and ongoing relationship management are critical tools in gathering this information. Direct engagement fosters trust, uncovers hidden needs, and builds stronger partnerships.
The Role of the Business Relationship Manager (BRM)
This is where the Business Relationship Manager (BRM) role becomes vital. Within organizations adopting ITIL and other service management frameworks, the BRM (or Relationship Manager, RM, as ITIL now terms it) serves as the critical link between the business customer and the service provider.
The Strategic and Tactical Scope of the BRM Role
While Service Managers and Service Level Managers typically focus on operational aspects of service delivery—ensuring SLAs are met and day-to-day issues are resolved—the BRM operates at a higher level. The BRM role encompasses strategic and tactical responsibilities aimed at fostering a deep understanding of customer needs and aligning service capabilities accordingly.
This role addresses a common gap within organizations: the lack of senior-level skills or focus on managing the relationship beyond operational transactions. The BRM helps bridge this divide by acting as both translator and facilitator.
Key Functions of the Business Relationship Manager
The BRM team’s core purpose is to manage and nurture the relationship between the business customer and the service provider’s management. This involves several key functions:
- Understanding the customer’s business goals, strategies, and challenges.
- Translating these insights into actionable service opportunities.
- Facilitating communication and collaboration between the two parties.
- Ensuring alignment between service delivery and customer expectations.
- Identifying new value creation opportunities and innovations.
By fulfilling these functions, the BRM helps ensure that the services provided genuinely meet customer needs and support business objectives.
The Value Proposition of BRM Skills and Tools
Recognizing the importance of the BRM role, specialized training and development programs have emerged to equip professionals with the necessary skills, knowledge, and tools.
Developing a Clear Understanding of the BRM Role
Training courses designed for BRMs provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of their responsibilities, strategic importance, and how to navigate complex organizational dynamics. This knowledge is essential for BRMs to act effectively as intermediaries and trusted advisors.
Enabling the BRM to Serve as Navigator, Connector, and Orchestrator
Beyond understanding the role, BRMs need practical tools to execute their duties. They must act as navigators, helping customers and service providers find common ground; connectors, building networks across organizational boundaries; and orchestrators, coordinating resources and initiatives to deliver value.
Empowering BRMs to Bridge the Gap
These capabilities enable BRMs to fill the skills and knowledge gap that often exists at the strategic level between customers and service providers. BRMs ensure that service delivery is not only operationally sound but also strategically aligned and value-driven.
Implementing the Business Relationship Manager Role Effectively
Successfully integrating the BRM role within an organization requires thoughtful planning, clear role definition, and strong executive support. Without these, the BRM may struggle to influence outcomes or be perceived as adding value.
Organizational Alignment and Executive Sponsorship
For the BRM role to thrive, senior leadership must recognize its strategic importance and actively sponsor its integration. This includes clarifying how the BRM fits within the organization’s structure, reporting lines, and governance.
Executive sponsorship empowers BRMs by giving them the authority and visibility needed to influence both the service provider and the customer organizations. It also signals to all stakeholders that relationship management is a priority.
Defining the Scope and Responsibilities Clearly
Clarity around the BRM’s scope avoids overlap with other roles such as Service Managers or Account Managers. The BRM focuses primarily on strategic partnership and value realization rather than day-to-day service issues.
Well-defined responsibilities include:
- Engaging regularly with customer leadership to understand evolving needs.
- Advocating for the customer’s interests within the service provider.
- Identifying and managing risks to the business relationship.
- Driving continuous improvement initiatives based on customer feedback.
Building Strong Partnerships with Service Delivery Teams
While the BRM’s focus is strategic, effective partnerships with service delivery teams are essential. The BRM must coordinate closely with Service Managers to ensure operational excellence supports strategic goals.
This collaboration fosters a seamless customer experience where tactical service delivery is aligned with longer-term business outcomes.
Measuring BRM Success: Metrics and Outcomes
To justify investment in the BRM role and demonstrate its value, organizations need to define appropriate success metrics. Unlike purely operational roles, BRM performance metrics focus on relationship health and business impact.
Common BRM Performance Indicators
Some effective metrics include:
- Customer Satisfaction and Engagement Scores: Measuring the strength of the relationship and customer sentiment.
- Value Realization: Tracking business benefits achieved through service partnerships.
- Innovation Adoption: Number and impact of new initiatives driven by the BRM.
- Issue Escalation and Resolution Times: Effectiveness in managing and mitigating relationship risks.
- Business Growth Metrics: Revenue or cost savings linked to service improvements or new opportunities.
Qualitative Measures and Feedback
Beyond quantitative data, qualitative feedback from customers and internal stakeholders provides rich insights into the BRM’s effectiveness. Regular reviews and 360-degree feedback sessions help continuously refine the BRM approach.
Overcoming Common Challenges in the BRM Role
Despite its value, the BRM role faces several challenges that organizations must address proactively.
Resistance to Change
Introducing a BRM can encounter resistance from existing teams worried about overlapping responsibilities or increased scrutiny. Clear communication and role definition help mitigate this resistance.
Balancing Tactical and Strategic Focus
BRMs often struggle to balance immediate service issues with longer-term strategic partnership development. Prioritization skills and strong support from leadership are critical to maintaining this balance.
Navigating Organizational Silos
Organizational silos can hinder effective communication and collaboration. The BRM must be skilled in cross-functional networking and diplomacy to break down these barriers.
Business Relationship Management
As businesses continue to evolve in complexity and customer expectations rise, the BRM role is becoming increasingly critical. Emerging trends are shaping the future of this discipline:
Digital Transformation and Data-Driven Insights
BRMs are leveraging digital tools and analytics to gain deeper insights into customer behavior, preferences, and value drivers. This data-driven approach enables more proactive and personalized relationship management.
Integration with Agile and DevOps Practices
Modern IT and service organizations are adopting Agile and DevOps to increase responsiveness and innovation. BRMs are adapting by embedding themselves within these practices to ensure alignment with customer outcomes.
Expanding Beyond IT: Enterprise-Wide BRM
Originally focused within IT service management, the BRM role is expanding across other business functions such as HR, finance, and marketing, helping align internal services with broader organizational strategies.
Elevating Customer Relationships to Strategic Partnerships
The Business Relationship Manager is not just a facilitator or communication conduit but a strategic partner dedicated to understanding and maximizing customer value. By focusing on outcomes, fostering collaboration, and navigating organizational complexities, BRMs help transform service delivery into meaningful business partnerships.
Organizations that invest in the BRM role—and empower these professionals with the right skills, tools, and authority—are better positioned to meet evolving customer demands, drive innovation, and sustain competitive advantage in a rapidly changing world.
Business Relationship Management
As organizations continue to evolve in a rapidly changing business landscape, the role of the Business Relationship Manager (BRM) is becoming more critical and dynamic. New trends, technologies, and customer expectations are shaping the future of BRM practices, requiring adaptability and continuous learning.
Embracing Digital Transformation and Analytics
Digital transformation is reshaping how businesses engage with customers and deliver services. BRMs are increasingly leveraging data analytics, artificial intelligence, and customer relationship management (CRM) platforms to gain deeper insights into customer behavior and needs. This data-driven approach allows BRMs to anticipate customer challenges, personalize interactions, and measure the real value being created. Predictive analytics can help identify potential risks in relationships early and guide proactive interventions.
Integrating Agile and Collaborative Methodologies
The rise of Agile, DevOps, and other collaborative frameworks in IT and business operations is influencing BRM practices. Business Relationship Managers are embedding themselves into cross-functional teams to ensure continuous alignment between service delivery and evolving customer requirements. This integration supports faster feedback loops, iterative improvements, and more responsive innovation tailored to customer outcomes rather than just outputs.
Expanding Beyond IT to Enterprise-wide Relationship Management
Originally rooted in IT service management, the BRM role is expanding across other business functions such as human resources, finance, marketing, and procurement. This enterprise-wide adoption fosters better alignment between internal services and overall business strategy. By bridging silos across departments, BRMs help create cohesive experiences for both internal and external customers, maximizing value across the organization.
Focusing on Strategic Partnerships and Value Creation
Future BRMs will increasingly act as strategic partners rather than just intermediaries or facilitators. Their role will involve co-creating value with customers, identifying new opportunities for innovation, and driving transformational initiatives that support long-term business goals. The emphasis will shift from managing transactions to cultivating trust, collaboration, and mutual success.
Best Practices for Effective Business Relationship Management
Successfully implementing and sustaining the BRM role requires thoughtful strategies and ongoing commitment from both service providers and customers. Adopting best practices can help organizations maximize the benefits of this critical function.
Establishing Clear Role Definition and Executive Sponsorship
Clarity around the BRM role, responsibilities, and reporting lines is fundamental. Executive leadership must visibly support the role, ensuring it is recognized as a strategic priority. This sponsorship empowers BRMs with the authority and resources needed to influence decision-making and drive alignment.
Prioritizing Customer Engagement and Active Listening
Effective BRMs invest time in building genuine relationships by regularly engaging with customer leadership and stakeholders. Active listening to understand evolving needs, pain points, and business priorities helps the BRM advocate effectively and tailor service offerings.
Collaborating Closely with Service Delivery Teams
While the BRM role is strategic, close collaboration with operational teams is essential to ensure service delivery aligns with customer expectations. Regular communication, joint problem-solving, and shared goals promote a seamless customer experience and continuous improvement.
Leveraging Metrics to Measure Relationship Health and Value
Measuring success through appropriate metrics is critical for demonstrating BRM impact. Beyond traditional operational KPIs, metrics such as customer satisfaction, value realization, innovation adoption, and relationship risk management provide a holistic view. Qualitative feedback and 360-degree reviews complement quantitative data for ongoing refinement.
Cultivating Flexibility and Adaptability
Customer needs and market conditions continuously change, requiring Business Relationship Managers (BRMs) to be flexible and adaptive. Developing skills in change management, negotiation, and conflict resolution enables BRMs to navigate challenges and maintain strong partnerships over time.
Embracing Change Management
Change is a constant in today’s business environment. BRMs must be comfortable with uncertainty and capable of guiding both their own teams and customers through transitions. This involves understanding the impact of change on people, processes, and technology, and helping stakeholders adjust accordingly. Effective change management includes clear communication about the reasons for change, expected benefits, and potential risks. BRMs who master this can reduce resistance and foster greater acceptance among all parties involved.
Negotiation as a Core Competency
Negotiation skills are essential for BRMs to reconcile differing priorities and expectations between the service provider and the customer. Whether negotiating service scope, resource allocation, or timelines, BRMs act as mediators who find mutually beneficial solutions. Strong negotiation involves active listening, empathy, and the ability to identify shared goals. By balancing assertiveness with collaboration, BRMs help build trust and keep relationships productive even when disagreements arise.
Conflict Resolution to Strengthen Relationships
Conflicts can emerge in any partnership, especially when service delivery falls short of expectations or when external pressures create stress. BRMs equipped with conflict resolution skills can address issues constructively before they escalate. This means identifying root causes, facilitating open dialogue, and fostering a problem-solving mindset. Successfully resolving conflicts demonstrates the BRM’s commitment to the partnership and reinforces their role as a trusted advisor.
Adapting to Evolving Market Conditions
Markets evolve due to factors such as technological advancements, regulatory changes, and competitive pressures. BRMs must stay informed about these trends and anticipate how they might affect customers and service delivery. Being proactive rather than reactive allows BRMs to recommend timely adjustments and innovations that keep the relationship aligned with business goals.
Building a Culture of Agility
Ultimately, cultivating flexibility and adaptability is not just about individual skills but also about fostering an agile mindset across the organization. BRMs play a key role in promoting continuous learning, openness to feedback, and readiness to pivot strategies when needed. This cultural shift enhances resilience and ensures that the partnership remains relevant and valuable amid ongoing change.
Conclusion
The Business Relationship Manager plays an essential role in bridging the gap between customers and service providers, ensuring that service delivery is strategically aligned with what customers truly value. As business environments become more complex and digital, the BRM role will continue to evolve, requiring a mix of strategic insight, technological savvy, and interpersonal skills. Organizations that invest in developing and empowering BRMs are better positioned to foster innovation, drive customer satisfaction, and sustain competitive advantage in an ever-changing world.