just mentioned keep customers coming back, but the first two are somewhat easy to break. The Integrated Relationship, however, has severe penalties for breaking the relationship and, therefore, forces the customer to come back again and again whether he likes it or not. This is the ultimate customer relationship and the secret key to guaranteed repeat sales.   Look at most highly successful companies and youll find that they have developed Integrated Relationships with their customers. The following are three excellent examples of companies that have created Integrated Relationships.   1. Campbell Soup   Campbells Soup has developed a successful vendor-managed inventory (VMI) program with its customers. A VMI program provides continuous replenishment for its customers by monitoring the customers inventory levels (physically or via electronic messaging) and makes periodic re-supply decisions regarding order quantities, shipping, and timing. In effect, Campbell Soup has literally taken over the entire replenishment function for its customers.   FedEx   FedEx installs computer terminals in many of their customers businesses that help to determine shipping requirements, track shipments, and even integrates into the customers inventory, accounting and order management system to automate the returns process. This literally forces the customer to use FedEx for their express mailing needs.   2. CHEP   Youve probably never heard of this company (see CHEP.com). They were my arch nemesis in one of my former careers. CHEP is a wooden pallet management company that manages the flow of pallets between suppliers and customers. They continue to grow unchallenged. Why? Because their "system" of managing pallets is so tightly integrated into their customers operations that their customers would experience a serious disruption in their business if they moved to another provider. (If you enter a Sams Club youll see the blue CHEP pallets everywhere.)   What is the common thread between these three companies? Its the high level of integration into their customers businesses. Thats what has made them monopolies. Customer switching-costs are too high to not use them.   How Do You Create An Integrated Relationship In Your Business?   Now that you know the key to forcing customers to do business with you, how do you