This document discusses the relationship between businesses and customers and the concept of vendor relationship management (VRM). It argues that customers should have more control over their own data and relationships with companies. VRM aims to give customers tools to manage these relationships independently and on their own terms, shifting the balance of power away from businesses. This could create new opportunities for businesses through voluntary data sharing and access to richer customer profiles. Open source and interoperable systems will be important to allow customers independence and prevent data silos.