How would you say your relationship with the UK property industry compares with other business to business relationships with which you are familiar?

Relatively few occupiers feel that their relationship with the property industry is closer than with other suppliers	'Relationships in the real estate world are pretty good, from a personal point of view.' 'Compared to my relationship with the construction industry there is a closer one-on-one relationship.' 'My dealing with agents has been first rate. We seem to have had more regular contact than in other relationships and I've had a lot of business to do with them.'
However, many feel that there is room for improvement	'I think that other supply chains are more likely to look long term at the relationship. In property we are viewed as cash flow providers and this makes me feel that I'm not valued as a customer.' 'Other service industries look after their customers better than the property industry has done, for example car dealerships.' 'We have much better relationships with both our customers and suppliers. There is no partnership between occupier and landlord.'
Some feel that the property industry is not sufficiently customer focused	'With other business relationships there is more interaction and more customer care. In the property industry it's a one way street.' 'Customer service provided by other suppliers is still better than that provided by the property industry.'
Some feel let down by transparency and service charges	'I don't think that there is anything noticeably different, other than the lack of transparency.' 'Overall they are pretty good. It's just particularly poor on service charges.'
Some report that there is more frequent contact with other industries	'My relationship with my suppliers is far better because I have more contact with them. I am dealing with them everyday and as a result it's far more personal.' 'The level of interaction is very low. With other contractors we have issues on a daily basis and it's necessary to have a strong relationship.'
Several suggest that the property industry does not have a modern approach to relationships	'Virtually all other relationships are better. There's a mediaeval structure to the relationship. It needs modernising.' 'The property industry is run like a gentlemen's club. The RICS is a stuffy old institution.'
Relationships with the property industry tend to be more adversarial	'There is an adversarial element to the relationship rather than a co-operative one, particularly between landlord and tenant.' 'I would say that the landlord/tenant relationship is confrontational. Other business relationships are significantly different. Normal business to business relationships are amicable and you can negotiate.'
There is a perception that the industry has a relatively transactional mentality	'Landlords have been in a very strong position with little suitable property and lots of tenants interested in it, and that has created a transactional attitude. It's not impressive. ' 'The property industry is less proactive because it has a captive audience mentality'