Given that you think the demands of a major retailer are completely unreasonable, what would you do if you were Mr. Fireman: give in completely, hold to your principles, negotiate, or what?

Recognizing the importance of major customers has come belatedly to some sellers, probably none more belatedly than Reebok. These very large customers often represent a major part of a firm’s total sales volume, and satisfying them in an increasingly competitive environment requires special treatment. Major account management should be geared to developing long-term relationships. Service becomes increasingly important in cementing such relations. To this end, understanding and catering to customer needs and wants is a must. If this means giving such important customers exclusivity, and making them the absolute first to see new goods and samples, this ought to be done unhesitatingly.
Such account management has resulted in changes in many organizations. Separate sales forces are often developed, such as “account managers” who devote all their time to one or a few major customers, while the rest of the sales force calls on smaller customers in the normal fashion. For a customer the size of Foot Locker, senior executives, even company presidents, need to become part of the relationship.