Finding the right supplier has significant implications for your business’s bottom line. With so many suppliers and fulfillment centers to choose from, knowing which ones are best for your company is challenging. Every supplier will tell you they’re the one who can best meet your supply needs, but how do you separate the real deal from the pretenders?
If you’re new to running your own company, whether it’s a toy store or property management company, and have no experience vetting and choosing suppliers, don’t learn the hard way how critical your suppliers are to your operations. Pricing, location, and your customers’ needs are a few of the many factors you have to take into consideration. Continue reading to get some tips to help you find the right suppliers and build lasting relationships with them.
Look for companies with experience in your industry.
Often, companies will try to expand their capabilities to net more customers. There’s nothing wrong with it—actually, that should be the goal of all companies regardless of industry. The problem lies in companies tailoring their services at the last minute to fit a client’s needs.
A shipping company having refrigerated trucks doesn’t mean they have experience shipping dairy products and frozen foods. A distributor might get a rental or buy a refrigerated truck if they can work out a deal with you where it makes sense to do so. Doing your research is the only way to make sure you don’t trust your supply to a company that only started serving your industry when you contacted them.
If you need a supplier for spring water, rather than choosing a company whose primary experience is transporting lawn mowers or car parts, choose an industry specialist like the Labrador Source water distribution company. Labrador Source is the oldest and most relied upon water distribution company in Canada. That’s the kind of reputation you can trust to meet your water supply needs.
Choose a company that will prioritize yours.
The focal point of your search for a supplier should be to find pros who won’t merely be a solution but also a partner in your quest to grow your business. If you’re going to be making monthly payments to a company to deliver your most critical merchandise, it’s a good idea to make sure they see your company as more than just a contract.
If you’re running a rental property and are getting your kitchen renovated, you want your supplies to arrive on time so you can finish your project on time. The last thing you need is the granite for your countertops or tile for your backsplash to arrive late when you’re trying to get tenants into your property by the end of the week. That’s a great way to lose lucrative monthly payments from tenants.
Having suppliers who understand your rental business and are willing to prioritize your investment property enables you to streamline integral parts of the renovation process. Check out vonbondies.com to get your free guide for managing a rental property to help you become a landlord who knows how to leverage mortgages for real estate and turn them into rental properties.
Good suppliers can be like best friends.
Whether it be across town or the state, when you’re moving, it helps to have a best friend with a large truck who happens to be a moving expert to help you. That’s kind of what it’s like when you have a good distributor.
Not only will a great supplier be there for you logistically, but they will also be able to advise you on which products are best for your customers. True industry experts can help you to stay abreast of consumer trends.
They can tell you why you should choose a standard backsplash for your kitchen renovation instead of the cooking-themed wallpaper you were considering. They can help you choose the best drywall for tenants with overactive children and pets or even what kind of stove will look best with your granite slab countertop. They’ll be there to help you get your rental property ready in time for you to capitalize on rental income from interested tenants because they know what’s good for your rental property is good for them.