Alf Rehn, 38, is Professor of Management and Organization at Åbo Akademi University's School of Business and Economics. He was previously head of research and Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.
Rehn says the relationship between customer and company has changed, and that customizing products and services to match the customer's individual needs now plays a key role. The Professor's ideas can be summed up in five theses:

The traditional customer no longer exists
The customers of the new era no longer simply accept the things that companies produce. They want to be personally involved in creating products and services. Today's young consumers take customization for granted.

You can't control the customer
This new situation means customers have increasing scope to influence and make choices in the production of products and services. Power is shifting from companies to consumers. According to Rehn, any attempt at controlling customers is doomed.

A company is a platform
Companies have to understand that they are not production plants, but platforms that make things possible for other people. This is the key to success. The new customer relationship is about making things possible for the other parties to the deal. This communal model is accentuated in interactions between companies and customers.

An emotional bond is crucial
People look for things they genuinely want to support. For companies this means establishing a firm emotional bond with customers. It has to be possible to become a fan of the company. Firms such as Apple and Nike have been very successful in this. That emotional bond and making things together with the company also mean that marketing requires a thorough rethink.

Do-it-yourself culture an asset
Rehn says Finns have a good chance of doing well in this new situation. Finland has a strong tradition of do-it-yourself and community spirit, which fits admirably with the new customer-relationship ideas. The Professor says we need an update of that do-it-yourself culture, to bring it into the present.