If you have plans on starting your own business, you’ll soon realize that good customer relationships are not your only priority. Before you reach out to clients and retain your customers, you need to find the right partners that can help you achieve business success. This includes having the right business suppliers by your side.
By getting your business to work with the right suppliers, you can ensure the quality of your products. Your offers can reach your consumers on time. Also, you can control your prices and make sure that they can compete with your competitors. But what does it take to find a supplier that is right for your business? Avoid the following when searching for your suppliers:
Choosing the first supplier you meet
One mistake you’d want to avoid is choosing the first supplier you find. Let’s say that your business requires stainless steel coil to create your products. When you search the Internet and ask for recommendations, a few names will pop out. If you simply pick any supplier without screening them, you can end up paying for more for a low-quality product. Always shop for suppliers and have criteria ready before choosing one.
Not checking a supplier’s history
No supplier will admit their inconsistencies and faults. How else will they gain new customers if they admit that they are unreliable? So before you trust any supplier, check their history first. You can do this by asking a couple of their past and present customers. See if the supplier of your choice has a quick turnaround time and can consistently meet deadlines and quality standards.
Not checking their ISO certification
One good way to check if a supplier is reliable is by checking if they have ISO certification. Only companies who can meet both improvement standards and the documentation needed can be ISO-certified. If your supplier is ISO-certified, you can trust that they can always deliver in terms of raw product quality requirements. This gives you the advantage of improving the quality of your products and increasing customer satisfaction and revenue.
Working with a supplier with an abnormally high number of rejects and reorders
If there is one thing that can halt your production and sabotage your business, that is having a supplier with a high number of rejects or claims. This can mean that their products are of low quality, will fail to deliver the kind of products you need to produce, and will taint your business’ reputation. If you’re not careful, you may end up damaging your equipment and produce low-quality products. So make sure to check a supplier’s rejection rate before signing any agreement.
Failure to check a supplier’s processing equipment
These days, it is best that you get to know the equipment they use in producing your required parts. Do they still do most processes manually when there are other methods and modern equipment available? Then chances are that they may fail when it comes to delivering consistency and quality. If their equipment is not up to date, they may find it hard to keep up with your demands and their other customers. It pays to double-check how they create your needed materials before you even buy from them.
These are a few yet common mistakes that you need to avoid when finding a supplier. Take note that good customer service starts with outsourcing your product materials. Keep this list in mind, and you’ll find it easier to find suppliers who are the perfect fit for your business needs.
