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Whether you run a small or a large company, it is likely that you are going to find yourself working with suppliers. The successful management of the relationship between supplier and business is essential in ensuring that you continue running with as few issues as possible. So, whether you are just starting up a business or you are simply looking to work with suppliers more effectively, here is some advice that can prove to be useful.
Pay Attention to Initial Interactions
When you are first sourcing different suppliers, it is worth paying close attention to the initial interactions that you have with them as these can tell you a lot about how the relationship is going to progress in the future. A few warning signs to watch out for include a failure to provide quick responses, a sense of disorganization, and a discourteous way of dealing with you. If you experience these problems to begin with, it is much more likely that they will continue into the future.
Communication Is Crucial
One of the most important aspects of the relationship between supplier and business is communication. Ideally, you will have a main point of contact who you are able to get in touch with. Equally, there should be someone nominated from your own business who is tasked with managing that particular supplier relationship. While emailing is still a common form of interaction, it can help for you to have face-to-face chats as well. This can be the quickest way of ironing out problems and can still be useful even if they are taking place via videoconferencing software such as Skype or Zoom.
Test New Equipment
When you are deciding to invest in new equipment, it is worth taking it out for a ‘test drive’ to ensure that it does the job that you expect of it. The same goes if you are having the equipment made such as custom load cells. If you ensure that the problems are taken care of in the prototyping stage, you are much more likely to be left with some products that you are happy with, and that will provide an immeasurable benefit to your business as a whole
Seek Out Different Suppliers
While it is useful to establish a good relationship with a supplier, it is also worth knowing what different options you have out there. This way, there is less likely to be a disruption in the supply chain, which can be extremely damaging to your business as a whole.
Don’t Be Afraid to Renegotiate
While it is great to establish solid relationships with suppliers, you still need to get into a habit of regularly renegotiating your arrangement with them. For example, if you decide to up your order, you want to be able to see if you can get an overall discount. After all, this is a matter of business and your own personal success too.
Following these tips can help you to work better with suppliers.
