The right supplier is everything. You are both their customer and their business partner. The right supplier can mean all the difference in the quality of your work because they are more than a store you buy from. The right supplier can help you solve problems you’ve come up across and can even custom order items on your behalf from their own network. The importance of finding the right supplier cannot be stressed enough, so use this list of criteria to build your own list of rock star partners.
Age of the Business
The age of the business isn’t always an indicator of a good supplier. A brand-new company can be a dream and provide a much better level of service than all of its competitors, but it could also be a flop. Businesses that have been operating for a decade or more have, at the very least, the experience necessary to serve you well. That’s why if you’re looking for a new supplier for anything, from building supplies like fasteners, all the way to computers, the prestige of age is a good place to start.
Range of Products
It can be tempting to choose the supplier that caters to everything, but the fact is you don’t always want a jack-of-all-suppliers. Take fasteners and fixings, for example. Anyone in your business sector can tell you that the full range of options is huge, and specialist fixings can be hard to come by. That’s where specialist suppliers like Tradefix Direct come into play.
By choosing a specialist supplier, especially one with over 20 years’ experience in the industry, you can enjoy the full range of fastenings for all types of jobs, and their expertise and connections mean if they don’t have what you are looking for, they can still help you find the right fastener fast. The same concept applies to tech equipment, office equipment, and anything in-between.
Reviews and Testimonies
Reviews and testimonies are also a great way to vet a supplier that you haven’t been referred to. Check several locations as well, as some review sites are less reputable and allow businesses greater control over what gets seen. By checking multiple sites, you can get a better look overall about the quality of the supplier.
Affordability
A great supplier means nothing if their rates are too high for you. Thankfully most of the best suppliers are in business because they are affordable and because you get the best deal when you buy in bulk directly from them.
When to Reassess Your Suppliers
You should never rest on your laurels, but at the same time, there is no reason to fix things that aren’t broken. That’s why it’s important to reassess your suppliers and to keep an eye out for any disruptive alternatives generally, but unless you have glaring problems with your relationship, it’s okay to keep the suppliers you have.
Finding the best suppliers can feel like finding a needle in the haystack, but by using the above criteria, you can forge a lasting and mutually beneficial relationship. It is also recommended to invest in supplier management software especially if you are dealing with numerous suppliers.
