The quality of relationships a business has with the public, customers, suppliers and investors can have a big impact on its performance. Relationship officers are responsible for maintaining positive business relationships with these and other stakeholders. These professionals work in a variety of settings, ranging from banks and health care facilities to education systems and government agencies.

Improving Public Relations

The exact duties of a relationship officer vary according to the specific job. For example, public relations officers concentrate on fostering relationships with members of the media, immediate community and the public in general. Suppose a community raises concerns about a bank's failure to initiate community development projects. In this case, the bank's public relations officer might issue a press release detailing the firm’s plans to commit more resources to improving the community.

Enhancing Customer Relations

As the job title suggests, customer relationship officers are hired to improve relations with customers. When customers complain about a store's poor after-sales support services, for example, these officers investigate the issue as quickly as possible and inform customers about the measures the business is taking to improve the quality of these services. Similarly, supplier relationship officers might maintain positive supplier relations by collaborating with the finance department to ensure suppliers are paid on time. Positive supplier relations can help ensure the efficient delivery of goods and services, which helps businesses provide uninterrupted services to customers.

Improving Investor Relations

Investor relations officers focus on creating stronger ties between a corporation and its shareholders. They ensure the company provides its shareholders key business information in a timely manner. Labor relations officers manage the relationship between an organization's management and workers. They handle a variety of disputes between employers and employees, including working conditions and compensation issues.