My developers are not allowed to talk to the users about the problems to be resolved. All the communication goes thru a gatekeeper that may not know or understand what the issue to be solved is.
Two reasons have been suggested:
1) The users are intimidated by the developers - I am giving them lessons on how to talk to users and patience. This is going well.
2) The manager at the customers site wants to maintain control - This is what I am having trouble with.
Problems get resolved so much faster if we can talk to the users to determine if we are on the right page.
Strengthen the relationship...
Business relationship management is more difficult than it sounds. If the on-site manager owns the relationship with the customer then you need to strengthen the relationship with that manager. The manager is likely adding value in other ways.
--Michael
I understand BRM is very
I understand BRM is very difficult. I took a personality test for this position and ranked above 89% for customer service. Also, in the few retail jobs I have held I would turn over the merchandise much more than normal (3x - 7x) by taking care of my customer.
I will continue to work thru my onsite connection and encourage improved communication.