Working to develop a company is all about the relationships you nurture. When there are so many different areas to keep track of, especially if you have unhappy workers, poor working conditions or inadequate tools, you have still got to look at the bigger picture.
In terms of keeping everything organized working with your suppliers can keep everything ticking over. But working with third-party vendors that provide you materials may sound straightforward but it’s become more complicated.
It’s not just due to the change in technology but suppliers have to be competitive and work with other businesses, not just yours. What do you need to consider to have a healthy relationship with your suppliers and help them out?
Adequate Risk Management
If you’ve got a complex supply chain you need to make sure that every component is adequately evaluated. In businesses where there are various methods of production, like in the agricultural industry, you have to think about each individual component, right down to the fuel.
And with each individual component comes a plethora of questions. Who is the best supplier for each individual item?
When it comes to off-road vehicles Fuel Box is an option for red diesel supplies, especially as you cannot use standard fuel.
Mitigating the risks of each supplier is crucial especially if they don’t operate with the same detail as you. And this means that sometimes we have to focus on service rather than costs.
As nice as it is to have a cheap service this doesn’t always guarantee everything working in your favour.
Is It Time To Integrate Technology?
Supply Chain Management software like TrueCommerce VMI can help to keep everything in one place. When you start to keep track of purchasing orders using the right system will help to make everything easier.
We have to remember that in order to maintain our relationships with suppliers we have got to be timely with our payments but we’ve also got to make sure that we can go one step further just to keep them sweet.
When you work with suppliers it’s so easy to view them as vendors but if you go one step further and incorporate trust into your culture, as well as your technology, this can help to keep everything above board.
Using supply chain management software can help you to keep track of orders, meaning that if there is a problem you anticipate you can call ahead and smooth out any potential problems.
The Importance of Strong Relationships
Suppliers are not an external entity, they are crucial to the development of your business. This means you’ve got to keep them in the loop.
Keep them informed on your strategy and plans for the future so they understand where they fit in. It’s not just about keeping them on your books but it’s about turning it into a proper working relationship.
This means we’ve got to implement the basics like clear communication as this will help to nurture your business further down the line.
Working with your suppliers is about understanding what they can give you as well as what you can give them. It’s a key to being organized, so make sure that your suppliers aren’t part of the archive but are with you every step of the way.
Image Credit: Pixabay – CC0 Licence
How well do you work with your suppliers? Do you take the time to nurture strong relationships with them?
