Beyond the Contract: Building Vendor-Client Partnerships That Last

In every business sector — from hospitality to consumer goods to financial services — competition is the quiet engine that keeps quality high, pricing fair, and innovation alive. When customers have choices, vendors must earn their business every day, not just at the signing of a contract.

Nowhere is this truer than in the world of vacation ownership loan servicing. For developers, homeowner associations, and management companies, the servicer you choose isn’t just a back-office function — it’s an extension of your brand. Every payment processed, every statement delivered, every owner interaction reflects directly on you. That makes the vendor-client relationship far more than a simple service agreement. It’s a partnership. And like all partnerships, it thrives on trust, communication, and mutual investment in success.

The timeshare industry has seen tremendous change over the past decade. Products have evolved, owner expectations have shifted, and compliance requirements have grown more complex. Through it all, one truth remains constant: a great servicer doesn’t just process transactions — they help you protect your reputation, maintain owner satisfaction, and achieve your long-term goals.

So why do some partnerships work for decades while others start strong but fade over time? The answer often comes down to the balance between competition, connection, and commitment.

Partnership as a Strategic Asset

In a healthy servicing relationship, the vendor doesn’t operate at arm’s length. Instead, they act as an extension of your team — invested in your portfolio’s performance and attuned to the nuances of your product. That means taking the time to understand your owner base, your operational challenges, and your unique service philosophy.

This is not about “cookie-cutter” solutions. One-size-fits-all processes may be efficient for the vendor, but they rarely serve the client well. The best partnerships allow for customization — whether that means tailoring delinquency outreach to your brand voice, configuring statements to match your owner communications style, or building flexible payment options that align with your product’s sales promises.

And size should never dictate quality of service. Whether your portfolio is a few hundred obligations or tens of thousands, your servicer’s attention to you and your customers should be the same: close, sincere, and proactive. Some of the most rewarding partnerships in my 30 year long career have been with smaller portfolios, where a healthy collaboration and quick creative response to a new challenge made an outsized and tangible impact on the client’s success.

Why Healthy Competition Matters

It’s tempting to think of competition only in terms of market share. But the deeper benefit is the pressure it puts on all players to stay sharp. Without competition, vendors can become comfortable — and comfort, over time, can turn into complacency.

Healthy competition ensures:

• Fair Pricing: When clients can compare value across vendors, it keeps fees aligned with service quality.
• Ongoing Innovation: Competing vendors continually refine technology, processes, and customer service models to stand out.
• Client-Centric Focus: With the knowledge that clients have options, vendors are motivated to maintain strong relationships and meet evolving needs.

Conversely, when a vendor’s attention drifts — perhaps chasing growth in other markets or expanding into unrelated business lines — existing clients can feel it.

Service quality may remain “good enough” on paper, but subtle signs emerge: slower response times, fewer new ideas, less outreach, and a shift from partnership to transaction.

Over time, these changes can erode trust. And in an industry where your servicing partner holds the keys to owner relationships and payment flow, trust isn’t optional — it’s foundational.

Avoiding the “Too Big to Listen” Trap

Growth can be a sign of strength. A larger vendor may offer scale, resources, and a breadth of experience that benefits clients. But growth must never come at the expense of attention to existing partnerships.

The “too big to listen” trap happens when decision-making moves farther away from the front lines of client interaction. Layers of management replace personal conversations. Service models become rigid, optimized for efficiency rather than fit. Customization takes longer, or costs more, or becomes “no longer available.”

The solution? Leadership that stays close to the client base, no matter how large the company becomes. Decision-makers who still pick up the phone, listen to client concerns, and understand the day-to-day realities of their partners’ business. That direct connection is what ensures a client never feels like an afterthought.

Related: Navigating Growth, Culture, and Connection: A Conversation with Westgate’s Jared Saft

Best Practices for Strong Vendor-Client Relationships

This applies to vendor management a whole…whether you’re selecting a new servicer or working to strengthen an existing relationship, there are practical ways to ensure the partnership remains strong:

1. Shared Goals

Move beyond service-level agreements (SLAs) and align on strategic objectives. Your servicer should understand not just what you need done, but why it matters to your business.

2. Open Communication

Regular updates, transparent reporting, and a clear escalation path keep small issues from becoming big ones. Both sides should feel comfortable raising concerns early.

3. Customization as Default

Processes should be built to fit your operational needs and brand voice — not the other way around. Ask for flexibility, and look for a partner who embraces it.

4. Measurable Value

Review performance regularly. Are the costs in line with the benefits delivered? Are you seeing improvements in owner satisfaction, collections, or operational efficiency?

5. Mutual Accountability

Celebrate successes together, and address challenges directly. A true partnership means both sides own the outcome.

Bringing It Back to the Timeshare Industry

The vacation ownership industry is built on relationships. Developers and HOAs invest heavily in creating experiences that foster loyalty and satisfaction. Your vendors and your servicing partner in particular should uphold that same standard — because in the owner’s eyes, they are part of your brand.

When servicing is nimble, responsive, and aligned with your goals, it becomes a strategic advantage. Owners pay on time more often. Issues are resolved quickly. Brand trust grows. When servicing is inflexible, inattentive, or bogged down in bureaucracy, the opposite is true — and recovery can be slow and costly.

Competition ensures that no vendor can take your business for granted. It keeps the focus on delivering value, not just fulfilling a contract. And it encourages vendors to innovate, adapt, and improve — all of which benefits the industry as a whole.

A Call to Keep the Industry Strong

As our industry continues to evolve, it’s worth remembering that great partnerships don’t happen by accident. They’re built through consistent effort, open dialogue, and a shared commitment to success.

For developers and HOAs, that means choosing partners who treat the relationship as a collaboration, not a commodity. For servicers, it means staying connected, staying creative, and staying humble enough to listen — no matter how big you get.

The timeshare servicing industry will thrive when vendors and clients see themselves as teammates working toward the same goal: delivering an experience that owners trust, value, and recommend. And the surest way to get there is to keep competition healthy, keep relationships strong, and never lose sight of the people behind the portfolios.

Evan Green, co-founder and CEO of Prosum Servicing, has spent nearly 30 years in vacation ownership loan servicing. He champions vendor-client relationships built on trust, transparency, collaboration, and a shared commitment to success.