Developing an amazing product is one of the hardest challenges that a company can overcome and one of the biggest predictors of success. But strong customer relations is what will truly determine the success of a business. Today’s consumers have more industry influence than they’ve ever had in the past, allowing them to focus on more than just the product that you’re selling them. Now, consumers are interested in what you’re selling them, how you’re selling it, and what happens after you’ve sold it to them. The shift has placed pressure on companies to invest in their customer service teams and meet rising customer demands. In fact, a Microsoft study showed that 55% of consumers have higher expectations for customer service year-over-year. Businesses are now facing the challenge of creating an excellent customer experience that’s consistent across every interaction. To achieve this, many companies are now focusing on how they manage their customer relationships. And that’s where customer relations comes in. Customer relations aims to create a mutually beneficial relationship with the customer that extends beyond the initial purchase. Customer relations is present in all aspects of a business, but it’s most prevalent in the customer service department. Customer service teams, customer support, customer success, and product development all play important roles in building a healthy customer relationship. Customer relations also extend to marketing and sales teams as well, since these departments have a significant influence over the company’s interactions with the customer.