To keep your business competitive at all times, you need to implement changes wherever you can. One of the changes you may wish to introduce is to switch up the suppliers your business uses. It is very easy to become complacent or stagnant by using pre-existing suppliers, and this is not going to be advantageous to your business. So, how you can go about finding new suppliers for your business, and what must you focus on?
Why You May Need New Suppliers
To get your journey off to the best start, you are going to need to think about why you need new suppliers. When you can establish just why you need new suppliers, you then have a goal and objective in your mind to work from. For instance, you might decide that the quality offered by your existing supplier/s is rapidly going downhill. It is important to make changes as soon as you can before these substandard products are noticed by your customers or clients. You may also need new suppliers, as your relationship may have dipped over recent orders. Perhaps the supplier was delivering too late, or there might have been a breakdown in communication along the way. Establishing why you need new suppliers will get you moving in the right direction.
Reaching Out to the Specialists
Once you have established that you need new suppliers, it is important to reach out to the specialists. You do not want to just reach out to generalist supplies, as they will not have the industry-related supplies that you need. So, if you are running a dental practice or dental studio, you will want to be sure that you are reaching out to premium dental suppliers. These specialist suppliers can source all of the products that you need, and they can guarantee you will get quality.
Seeing Who the Competitors Use
Trying to compile a list by yourself can be challenging, and you may find it beneficial to see who your competitors are using. Looking at who they are using will give you a good idea of what standards and prices you can expect. To find out who competitors use, then you need to conduct a competitor analysis. Monitor when they get supplies and deliveries and monitor where their deliveries are coming from. Are they using local suppliers, or are they using overseas suppliers or those in a different state?
Availability and Delivery
After establishing who your competition is using, it is always wise to start getting to grips with a potential supplier’s availability, delivery, and general terms and conditions. You have to be sure that you can order what you want, and get it delivered promptly. You also have to be certain about payment plans and payment methods, as this will affect your business cash flow. Some new suppliers may require payment for every order before it is dispatched, whereas others may be okay to open up a line of credit for you.
