What your buyer is really telling you...

Let me start with this: There are no customer surprises.

Over the years, I've heard some version of each of these statements so many times. Internally, my first response is always "How did we not know this?" Aloud, I ask "What do they mean by that?"

Too often, the answer is: "I don't know... that's just what they told us."

That answer should make every business leader uncomfortable. After nearly three decades working with retailers, distributors, foodservice operators, and e-commerce customers, I've learned something important:

Customers rarely tell you the solution. They tell you the symptom.

• Your job isn't simply to react.

• Your job is to understand the business problem they're trying to solve.

Listen beyond the words

One of the biggest differences between average customer teams and great customer teams is their ability to listen for what isn't being said. Consider a few real examples.

"Everyone is receiving a 2.5% fee increase."

The initial reaction? "Well... I guess we have to pay it." Maybe.

But before making that decision, ask another question. Why now?

A little digging revealed that the retailer had publicly announced significant investments in infrastructure to support e-commerce growth. They weren't randomly increasing fees. They were looking for suppliers to help fund a strategic shift in their business.

Understanding that context completely changed the conversation. Instead of simply accepting the fee, we could evaluate it within the broader commercial relationship and determine how best to respond.

"Focus on freshness."

Marketing teams immediately started talking about packaging updates and shelf presence. But another piece of information surfaced around the same time. Our products were showing up in markdown bins.

Suddenly, "freshness" had a very different meaning. The real issue wasn't graphics. It was inventory velocity. Products weren't moving fast enough, forecasting wasn't accurate enough, and markdowns were becoming necessary.

The solution wasn't a package redesign. It was driving demand, improving forecasting, and increasing sell-through.

"Your product is too expensive."

This particular one was specific to a foodservice operator. Someone on the team quickly calculates that the product only costs a few cents more per serving than the competition. Problem solved. Except it isn't.

In one case, the operator wasn't talking about the purchase price at all. They were talking about total operating cost (Freight +Distributor markups + Handling + Preparation +Labor). Once we understood the economics from their perspective, we realized our product actually required additional time, specialized skills, and operational complexity.

The conversation shifted from defending price to understanding total cost. That's a very different discussion. And solution.

"Our competitor sells your product cheaper than we can."

First, response... "(Insert your company name here) does not dictate the final market price. That is entirely determined by our customers and their consumers based on their respective business strategies. We can suggest end pricing and promotional tactics based on what the data says drives demand." Or whatever your legal team deems appropriate. The reality is, you do have the ability to influence price and demand. Lately, the immediate recommendation is "We need a MAP policy." Maybe. But before implementing a policy, ask a few questions.

• Who has the lower price?

• Who funded that promotion? (your company or the customer?)

• Is this isolated or widespread?

• Is the issue really pricing—or is it trade investment, promotional strategy, or channel management?

Sometimes what appears to be a pricing problem is actually a trade investment strategy problem. Treating the symptom without understanding the cause rarely fixes anything.

"We're discontinuing your product."

This is often treated as a surprise. In my experience, it almost never is. The warning signs are usually there long before the final decision.

• Vendor scorecards start slipping.

• Service metrics decline.

• The buyer asks about packaging improvements.

• Forecast accuracy becomes a recurring discussion.

• Margin conversations become more frequent.

• Requests for operational improvements increase.

Sometimes all of this information is sitting in the retailer's vendor portal, available for anyone willing to look. The customer wasn't hiding the problem. We simply weren't connecting the dots.

The Best Customer Teams Think Differently

The strongest customer teams I've worked with weren't simply relationship managers.

• They were business partners, cross-functionally - not just sales to buyer.

• They read annual reports and follow earnings calls with a goal to better understand their customers' strategic priorities.

• They paid attention to industry and consumer trends.

• They knew how the retailer, distributor, or operator made money.

• They anticipated challenges before the customer formally raised them.

• Most importantly, they asked better questions.

Because great customer management isn't about having all the answers. It's about developing the curiosity to find the right ones.

The lesson

One of the biggest lessons I've learned throughout my career is this:

Your customer isn't buying your product. They're trying to solve a business problem.

The better you understand that problem, the more valuable you become.

The same principle applies far beyond customers. Whether you're trying to retain a key customer, keep a valued employee engaged, or build stronger business partnerships, surprises are rare. The signals are almost always there.

Ask more questions. You will rarely be caught off guard.