I ask myself this question every time we launch new products.

There is tendency for some independent retailers to ignore the fact they have made appointments. Are they rude and disrespectful, are they unaware of what sellers do to support them, do they not consider everyone has time, cost and personal issues. Do they not know how to manage their appointment books?

This trend among them (it happens to all companies and all around Australia) is not professional. It is sloppy, disrespectful and indicates that in a business relationship they likely to be ’flakey’. Buyers and sellers have a partnership -they are in it together. They need to work together on initiatives that keep costs down and revenue up.

I think this is a serious issue. Professionalism at all levels of the economic chain is important, especially among small businesses who need as much support as they can get.

The difference between our successful and established retailers is huge. They understand about doing business, they know it is a partnership and relationships matter and working together gets better results.

It would be wise for those who cannot manage their appointment books to look around and note what makes a successful retailer. Among many other things it is respect and understanding the value of trusted business relationships.

So far we have read and highly recommend- Crowdsourcing by Jeff Howe, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, Groundswell -Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies, by Charlene Li. and A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink.

We are now looking at the big picture and are currently reading The Next 100 Years by George Friedman.

If you have any suggestions for books or blogs – do let me know so I can share them out.

Gillian Corban