It happens when new providers of products or services steal a customer relationship from a company who traditionally held the relationship . This is the case with online brokerages or PC banking. Unless the bank provides the PC banking services, it has ceded the relationship to the PFM software company. Disintermediation happens when you as the sales entity discover that your supplier is going direct to the consumer market which traditionally has been your role. This happens when a manufacturer realizes they can sell from their web site directly to customers as well as through distributors.
Relationships are critical to efforts to expand business from existing customers.
If and when the economy slows down, your ability to obtain growth from your existing customers will be even more important. You'll rely on your existing customers to help you weather the economic storm. If you become disintermediated, you lose access to information about your customers. It's not only the ability to have the customer relationship that's valued by companies, but also the ability to have information about their needs, wants and desires. Companies that turn information into value added products and services build relationships that grow and are always one step ahead of their competitors.