There can be many stressful factors when trying to meet deadlines in the workplace or on the jobsite. Working with your vendors shouldn’t be one of them. The right vendor can make your job easier and help your company succeed. The wrong one can cost you money, time and even customers. Nonetheless, there are several considerations in selecting suppliers of products and services. Luckily, we’re here to help. Read on to see our tips for recruiting best-in-class vendors.
Do Your Research
Investigate potential vendors to ensure they are a reputable company. Consider their work experience and the number of years they’ve been in business. This isn’t to say a newcomer can’t do the job just as well, but something can be said for a company that’s grown and ironed out all the kinks.
Read the Reviews
To be fair with companies old and new, a great way to get a feel for their professionalism is through reviews. See what others who have worked with these companies say and if this vendor can be trusted.
- Do they provide reliable service?
- Do they train their team to be fully informed, competent and helpful to their customers?
- Are they consistent with their products and services?
Don’t Forget Safety
Be sure their business meets your EHS/ OSHA requirements. The EHS measurements and performance levels to look for are:
- EMR = below 1.0
- TRIR = 1.0/3.0 or below
- No regulatory citations, Notices of Violation (NOV’s) for 3 years
- No Work-related Fatalities
- Have documented safety procedures, job hazard analysis (JHAs) and incident reporting procedures
Pick up the Phone
Once you are confident in your research, get a feel for how the company does business and set some time up to see if they can meet your needs. If they pass your initial tests, start setting the shape for your business relationship.
Outline a Potential Contract
Draft a document for your chosen vendor to review and discuss pricing. Be the voice for your customers and negotiate a fair price for them, you and the vendor. Ask questions and make sure they can service the areas you need.
Teamwork is an important factor in any business. If you follow these guidelines, you’ll find better vendors that make your job and your business more successful than you possibly could on your own.
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