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Are you supplier-friendly or supplier-averse – and what about your business?

Do you treat your suppliers like customers or suppliers?

I hear many business leaders say that they value their suppliers and that their businesses work with them in partnership to create a win-win situation for both parties. A great ethos but is the message passed down the chain to the buyers, administrators, or people manning the reception phones? In many businesses and organisations the answer is a definite NO! Buyers objectives are often just financial and so cost becomes the main criteria, payment terms are stretched and telephone calls not returned.

Valuing your suppliers is as important as valuing your customers. An acid test is if a customer or supplier calls you and you are unable to take the call whose call do you return first?

Suppliers are customers and can give you extra profit, speedier deliveries to make your business better and help it to grow.

Going back to basics if you are a business of any type you are a supplier, so if you want to grow treat your suppliers as you would like your customers to treat you and make sure that that message is spread throughout your company.