Background: Literature review shows there are very few studies looking at the buyer-supplier relationship from the supplier’s perspective. Furthermore, the available studies are largely qualitative research. This gap in quantitative literature leads us to question which and to what extend certain variables influence the preferred customer status from a supplier’s viewpoint. Based on a qualitative literature review, nine variables should be considered in explaining preferred customer status. Objective: This study attempts to find quantitative scientific evidence for variables that can improve buyer-supplier relationships. Methods: The study utilises a supplier survey. Supplier contact details are extracts from the Enterprise Resource Planning software of two production sites within a business division of a large cap multinational healthcare company noted on the SIX Swiss Exchange. In total 2.737 online surveys were sent out and 319 answers received. These answers serve as data to build a multiple linear regression model. Results: The results indicate that the variables explain 41% of the variance (R2adj) of preferred customer status. Our research supports the idea that preferred customer status is significantly influenced by financial attractiveness, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and proximity. The findings suggest that both financial attractiveness and CSR have a positive partial effect on preferred customer status that is diminishing as the independent variables keep increasing, while the positive effect from proximity on preferred customer status is linear. Conclusion: Buyers should be aware of the significance that these three variables hold on their preferred customer status, from a supplier’s viewpoint. Buyers should carefully consider the potential effects of their decisions regarding the generation of sufficient and steady cash flow at the supplier, the risk of an undersized CSR policy, and the value of proximity in a supply chain.