I have served the MDU industry for over 15 years. In the beginning of my career, the answer to the question "who is your client" (local property manager, regional property supervisor, asset manager, etc.) was pretty clear, or so I thought. At that time, I was responsible for negotiating long term service agreements for one of the largest cable MSO's. My client, or so I thought, was the asset manager or other national level decision maker.
As I matured in my career and moved into the role of manager, director and ultimately vice president, I quickly realized that each of the levels of management of an MDU owner or management company was in a way my client. While the local property manager and regional property supervisor didn't sign the agreement and often didn't play a role in the ultimate decision, they were no less my client. Property and supervisory staff act as the eyes and ears of the asset managers. While they could possibly lend some help if you maintained a good relationship with them, they could definitely create roadblocks if you had no relationship or a dysfunctional relationship with them.
In my current role as a telecommunications contract rights consultant to MDU owners, developers and management companies, I am pretty far removed from local property management and regional supervisors. Nevertheless, I must continue to see the business from their point of view if I am to maximize the added value I provide to my clients.
Who is your client?
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