What to look for in a supplier.
What to look for in a supplier
Suppliers are the secret to your business success. Choosing a service provider will directly determine the outcome of your construction or development project. As this decision is so important, it can feel like a very daunting task, especially as Durban is home to many of the top suppliers in the country.
In this article, we look at what a supplier is, how to choose a suitable supplier as well as how to form and maintain a positive working relationship to ensure the success of your business and to gain a positive reputation in the industry.
What is a supplier?
A supplier is also called a vendor, a person or company that provides goods and/or services to other companies as one of the contributors to the development process on the way to the ultimate customer.
How does the supplier affect your business?
Building projects are always on a strict deadline and reliability of suppliers can make or break a business. Any disruptions to production can cause havoc for your reputation, especially when you have made promises and commitments. Your turnaround time depends on your suppliers.
Your supplier also decides on pricing. Orders with higher rates directly affect your profits. All businesses depend on customers returning for more products and services. In order to achieve this, you need to be affordable while still remaining profitable. This margin is largely determined by your service providers.
Why is selecting a supplier so important?
Working with a supplier is ideally a long-term relationship. As you are likely going to be installing hundreds of bathrooms, you want to know who you can depend on. When you know who you are working with, you reduce the costs and time required for marketing, and you are confident in the quality of the products and services you offer.
The top 5 factors to consider when choosing a supplier
- Cultural fit. Your values and vision need to line up so that you have the same end goal in mind. Your teams need to get along well and have a good working relationship.
- Cost. This covers all aspects of pricing, profitability, and Total Cost of Opportunity (TCO).
- Value. You need to know that you are getting good value for money and that you are able to generate opportunities based on the level of services and products you purchase.
- Experience in the marketplace and current references. Word of mouth in this industry means everything. Go to suppliers who have an excellent reputation.
- Flexibility. Very few projects go exactly according to plan. Your suppliers need to be resilient, quick to respond to any changes, and the eagerness to step up to the plate when it matters (such as working all-nighters to ensure you get what you need on time
What are the 8 common criteria for selecting suppliers?
1. Cost
2. Quality & Safety
3. Delivery
4. Service
5. Social Responsibility
6. Convenience and Simplicity
7. Risk
8. Agility
The importance of maintaining a good relationship with your suppliers
Remember, this is a partnership and a two-way working relationship. These steps will ensure that you are at the top of your service providers’ list:
- Talk to your suppliers regularly.
- Pay your accounts promptly.
- Communicate with a supplier before the due date for payment, should you foresee a delay in paying an account.
- Build good relations with your suppliers’ representatives.
Looking for your ideal plumbing and bathroom supplier in Ballito, Durban and Hillcrest ? Simply fill in the form below and the dedicated team from Simply Bathrooms will get back to you!
[contact-form-7 id=”173363″ title=”Simply Bathrooms Enquiry Form”]
