Strategic customers often want exclusivity — but in today’s competitive and legally regulated world, that’s not always realistic. In this SAM/KAM mini-case, Jellox SA wants its suppliers to guarantee that there will be no cross-fertilisation of insights with their top competitor, NV Inc., even though competition law prevents any formal exclusivity.
This real-world scenario challenges suppliers to demonstrate value while maintaining fairness, confidentiality, and strategic integrity. It’s a timely case for any supplier managing multiple high-stakes relationships in similar markets.
Key Scenario
- Jellox SA is a strategic customer but wants to ensure supplier loyalty
- They ask their suppliers to prove that no insights or knowledge will cross to rival NV Inc.
- Competition law forbids exclusivity clauses, putting the pressure back on the supplier
Discussion Themes
- How to structure key account teams to protect confidential customer strategies
- The limits of legal agreements — and the value of operational safeguards
- Balancing flexibility with integrity when serving competing clients
Recommended Strategies
- Assign dedicated teams to key accounts with strict non-compete clauses
- Ensure clear Chinese Walls within service or technical teams in multi-sector environments
- Use project-specific agreements with NDAs and role restrictions for sensitive work
Insight
“Strategic trust is built not just on what you promise — but how clearly you prove that your people and processes respect the customer’s competitive world.” – Professor Malcolm McDonald
Download the Mini-Case
This summary highlights the scenario and recommended approaches, but the full PDF includes the original case narrative and discussion points for internal training or policy review.
Reproduced with kind permission from Dr Beth Rogers.