The benefits of good relationships with suppliers are now clear. But some partnerships are a waste of time and money, others are actually dangerous, and only a few will justify taking the risks that fully integrated collaboration demands.

There is substantial shareholder value hidden in servicing products after they are sold. In fact, over time, service may actually contribute more to earnings than sales do. The authors describe how companies can establish service as a differentiator with high margins, even in difficult economic times, including a discussion on four typical stages of organizational development.