In some businesses, especially smaller stores or units, managers have regular interaction with customers or clients. In other companies, the manager may have a back office or a more distant connection with customers, relying on front-line employees to handle customer sales and services. A close relationship between a manager and customers can have pros and cons.

Personal Connection to Business

Customers may feel a greater attachment or connection to a company when they have regular, personal interaction with the owner or manager. In store operations, the manager often becomes the face of the business in the local community. With a stronger personal connection to the manager and company, customers are more likely to develop a loyal relationship and consistently buy goods and services over time.


A small business doesn't often have the research budget of a larger corporation, but a manager can gain a lot of insights into his target customers by interacting with them. When selling or servicing customers, the manager can learn about some of the common concerns or issues that arise with the company's products. Customers may also share information about their experiences with other employees and even with competing businesses. This is good insight that you can use to address employee attitude or service problems, and to learn how your business is perceived in comparison to competitors.


When customers or clients have a close relationship with a manager, they may feel like they have anytime access to him. A customer may call the store or business to ask basic questions that could be answered on the company's website or through other means. Customers may also circumvent front-end sales and service employees and go directly to the manager for help each time they come into the store.

Distraction From Leadership Roles

While hands-on interaction with customers is common for managers in some industries, such as retail sales, overly close relationships with customers can distract a manager from strategic planning and employee development. Managers hire front-end employees to become experts in sales and service. With too much personal attention paid to customers, a manager may neglect administrative tasks, strategic planning, budgeting, and profit and loss assessment. Additionally, he might step on the toes of employees.