Suppliers are essential to almost every business. Without raw
materials to make what you sell or manufacturers to provide what you
resell, you will have a tough time growing. There are also many supplies
and services your business consumes as part of general overhead, from
paper clips to Internet access.
Suppliers and vendors-the terms are used interchangeably here-can do
much more than merely supply you with the materials and services you
need to do business. They can also be important sources of information,
helping you evaluate the potential of new products, track competitors'
actions and identify promising opportunities. Vendors can turn into
partners, helping you cut costs, improve product designs and even fund
new marketing efforts. If you don't make selecting good suppliers and
vendors a part of your growth plan, you're likely to regret it.
Evaluating Your Suppliers and Vendors
Suppliers can be divided into four general categories. They are:
- Manufacturers. Most retailers buy through company salespeople
or independent representatives who handle the wares of several
different companies. Prices from these sources are usually lowest unless
the retailer's location makes shipping freight costly.
- Distributors. Also known as wholesalers, brokers or jobbers,
distributors buy in quantity from several manufacturers and warehouse
the goods for sale to retailers. Although their prices are higher than a
manufacturer's, they can supply retailers with small orders from a
variety of manufacturers. (Some manufacturers refuse to fill small
orders.) A lower freight bill and quick delivery time from a nearby
distributor often compensates for the higher per-item cost.
- Independent craftspeople. Exclusive distribution of unique
creations is frequently offered by independent craftspeople who sell
through reps or at trade shows.
- Import sources. Many retailers buy foreign goods from a
domestic importer, who operates much like a domestic wholesaler. Or,
depending on your familiarity with overseas sources, you may want to
travel abroad to buy goods.
What Makes a Good Supplier?
A lot of growing companies focus on one trait of their suppliers: price.
And price certainly is important when you are selecting suppliers to
accompany you as you grow your business. But there's more to a supplier
than an invoice-and more to the cost of doing business with a supplier
than the amount on a purchase order. Remember, too, that suppliers are
in business to make money. If you go to the mat with them on every bill,
ask them to shave prices on everything they sell to you, or fail to pay
your bills promptly, don't be surprised if they stop calling.
After price, reliability is probably the key factor to look for in
suppliers. Good suppliers will ship the right number of items, as
promised, on time so that they arrive in good shape. Sometimes you can
get the best reliability from a large supplier. These companies have the
resources to devote to backup systems and sources so that, if something
goes wrong, they can still live up to their responsibilities to you.
However, don't neglect small suppliers. If you're a large customer of a
small company, you'll get more attention and possibly better service and
reliability than if you are a small customer of a large supplier. You
should also consider splitting your orders among two smaller firms. This
can provide you with a backup as well as a high profile.
Stability is another key indicator. You'll want to sign up with
vendors who have been in business a long time and have done so without
changing businesses every few years. A company that has long-tenured
senior executives is another good sign, and a solid reputation with
other customers is a promising indicator that a company is stable. When
it comes to your own experience, look for telltale signs of vendor
trouble, such as shipments that arrive earlier than you requested
them-this can be a sign of a vendor that is short on orders and needs to
accelerate cash receipts.
Don't forget location. Merchandise ordered from a distant supplier
can take a long time to get to you and generate added freight charges
quickly. Find out how long a shipment will take to arrive at your
loading dock. If you are likely to need something fast, a distant
supplier could present a real problem. Also, determine supplier freight
policies before you order. If you order a certain quantity, for
instance, you may get free shipping. You may be able to combine two or
more orders into one and save on freight. Even better, find a comparable
supplier closer to home to preserve cost savings and ordering
flexibility.
Finally, there's a grab bag of traits that could generally be termed
competency. You'll want suppliers who can offer the latest, most
advanced products and services. They'll need to have well-trained
employees to sell and service their goods. They should be able to offer
you a variety of attractive financial terms on purchases. And they
should have a realistic attitude toward you, their customer, so that
they're willing and eager to work with you to grow both your businesses.
Changing Your Supplier Relationships
You may not need to find new suppliers to get a new deal. You can
usually get discounts, obtain improved service and receive other
features you need by making a request of your current suppliers-although
it may not be as simple as merely asking. Here are some of the options
and negotiating strategies for turning mediocre suppliers into top-shelf
ones.
- Getting discounts. If you walk into a department store and
purchase a pair of shoes, you'll pay the same price any other shopper
would. But business-to-business commerce is more complicated. Businesses
that sell to other businesses commonly have a whole range of quoted
charges, offering discounts of 50 percent or more depending on the
quantity purchased, the terms, the length of the relationship, and other
considerations. You may be able to comfortably conform to some of these
requirements, qualifying you for a lower price. To find out, ask about
discounts and what is necessary to earn them. You may be able to get
anything from an interest-free loan in the form of trade credit to a
substantial discount for paying early.
- Improving service. It is the rare businessperson who knows
exactly what is happening in all parts of his company at all times or
what is going on with all his customers. You probably don't, and you
shouldn't assume your suppliers do, either. If you have a
service-related problem with a supplier, bring it to someone's
attention. If you don't get satisfaction, move up the chain of command
until you get what you want or are as high in management as you can get.
Odds are, someone will be concerned and possess enough authority to
remedy the situation. Only if you ask for better service and don't get
it should you sever the relationship.
- A better relationship. Not every customer wants to buddy up
to suppliers, so the fact that your suppliers aren't offering to work
closely with you to improve quality, reduce defects and cut costs
doesn't necessarily mean they don't want to. They may be under the
impression that you are the reluctant one. So if you want a tighter
working relationship with suppliers, let them know. You may also drop a
hint that those who don't want to work with you may see some of their
orders being diverted to those who are more agreeable. Either way,
you'll know whether it's your supplier's reluctance, or their perception
of your reluctance, that's getting in the way.
Making a Change
Having fewer vendors is usually better than having many vendors.
Reducing the number of vendors you deal with cuts the administrative
costs of working with many. Closer relationships with fewer vendors
allow you to work together to control costs. Getting rid of troublesome
vendors can quickly increase the efficiency of your purchasing and
administrative staffs. So how do you decide when to change vendors? Here
are keys areas to consider:
- Unreliability. When a vendor's shipments start arriving
consistently late, incomplete, damaged or otherwise incorrectly, it's
time to consider looking for a new one. Every company has problems from
time to time, however, so check into the matter before dumping your
vendor. Vendors can experience temporary difficulties as a result of
implementing a new product line, shipping procedure or training program.
If you stick with a vendor through a rugged interval, you may be glad
you did. They might be more willing to see you through a future cash
flow crunch.
- Lack of cost competitiveness. Sometimes vendors fail to
change with their industries. When your vendor's rivals start coming in
with bids for comparable goods that are lower than your existing
supplier's, you need to investigate. Point out the issue to your
existing supplier and ask for an explanation. If you don't like what you
hear, it may be time to consider taking some of those offers from
competing suppliers.
- Insularity. Some suppliers will let you visit their plants,
talk to their workers, quiz their managers, obtain and interview
references, and even examine their financial statements. These are the
kinds of suppliers you should seek out. The more you know about your
suppliers, the better you can evaluate whether you should continue to do
business with them. If they shut you out, perhaps you should cut them
off.
- Extra-sale costs. The number at the bottom of the invoice is
only the beginning of the cost of dealing with suppliers. You have to
lay out money beforehand to draw up specifications, issue request for
proposals, evaluate them, check references, and otherwise qualify your
suppliers. You have to place the order, negotiate the terms, inspect the
goods when they arrive, and deal with any shortages, damage or other
errors. Finally, you may have to train workers to use the newly arrived
goods or purchase more equipment and material to make use of them. While
some of these costs are inevitable, some are traceable to individual
suppliers. If too many costs are being tacked onto the sale prices,
check out some other suppliers.
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