Forging closer supplier-customer relationships

Strong relationships drive supply chain resiliency

Strong commercial relationships between customers and suppliers drive long-lasting mutual benefits, and recent supply chain disruptions prove resilient relations have never been more critical. As supply chains become more complex, with more frequent disruptions, partnerships with strong end-to-end communication help customers and suppliers better navigate market turbulence. To measure the health of supply chain collaboration and purchasing organization effectiveness, Plante Moran offers the Working Relations Index® (WRI®) Study to capture the supplier’s voice accurately. Suppliers can also use the methodology to survey and capture the voice of their customers.

The WRI® Study is a proprietary methodology that examines the strength of trust, communication, assistance programs, and mutual profitability with your suppliers. The survey also captures friction and unintended costs between purchasing, commercial groups, and other functions. Our voice-of-the-customer and voice-of-the-supplier studies allow customers and suppliers to survey the companies they work with confidentially and anonymously.

The Plante Moran team and WRI® methodology work to reduce business costs and improve new technology commercialization. Our experts interpret this honest feedback and work with you to facilitate improvement. We can also explore the top-of-agenda issues through customized questions such as ESG, working with startups, and more. 


Close up photo of hands holding a tablet device.
March 02, 2023

Improve supply chain collaboration with the Working Relations Index®

OEM-supplier relations are complex and dynamic, directly influencing product development, cost competitiveness, quality, and more. Here’s how the Plante Moran Working Relations Index® (WRI) study can help improve customer/supplier information flow, build business efficiency, and increase competitiveness.
Article / 5 min read Read More

What is the WRI® methodology?

The process begins by creating an online survey from an inventory of time- and academic-tested questions. Next, Plante Moran works with your supplier or customer contact lists to create a sample base. We reach out to the suppliers or customers, asking them to complete a comprehensive survey of quantitative and open-ended, qualitative questions about their experiences with the customer or supplier that requested their feedback. We analyze and interpret the results based on our proprietary methodology. We can also enhance the survey through personal interviews.

The WRI® model comprises five major components: trust, communication, assistance programs, operating friction, and mutual profitability. Each component has multiple questions measuring variables tested in the field and academic research. The WRI® result is expressed as a single numerical score representing the level of collaboration between customers and suppliers. 

Collaborative supplier working relations



Get actionable feedback from suppliers and customers

Do you understand how your supply chain partners view you? How can your business grow and improve if you have smoother supplier and customer relationships with better communication? Our experts will help you understand what stakeholders want from you and what you can do to improve commercial relationships.


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