When you run a company, you’ll understand that quality is the difference between gaining new customers and losing them. To improve your quality control it’s important to find the right suppliers for your materials and resources. When you’re searching for the right supplier, these six tips may well come in handy.
1. Set Your Criteria
When you’re choosing a supplier for your company, the first step is to determine your criteria. To set your criteria it’s helpful to think about returns policies, lead times and delivery methods. As well as this, you might need to think about the quality procedures you require and which storage facilities you need. Lead time is probably one of the most important areas to consider when it comes to choosing a supplier. Your delivery and production lead times are a crucial element of meeting your client deadlines.
- Try A SIM System
A supplier information management system is a platform where you can search for suppliers against your predetermined criteria. SIM platforms collect data about suppliers, the data might include quality info, sustainability initiatives, or health and safety data. As well as this, a SIM platform provides analytics in the form of reports or supplier scorecards. You can search a SIM system using whichever queries are appropriate to your criteria. A SIM system can help you to find exactly who you are looking for, plus check their credentials to protect your business.
- Consider The Distance
It’s also important to consider the location of your supplier, keep in mind that international suppliers will be cheaper in most cases. Regardless, when using an international supplier it can be more difficult for them to navigate sudden changes. When deciding between an international supplier and a local supplier, you’ll first need to weigh up the pros and cons.
- Consider Sustainability
Prioritising sustainability initiatives can help your company to enhance your reputation, protect the earth and save some money. Most businesses already have at least a few green policies as part of their production processes. It’s worth assessing how green your suppliers are to improve your sustainable practices, and remain consistent.
- Quality Control
Simple but important, it’s vital to prioritise quality when you are choosing your suppliers.
Unless you offer a quality product or service, you’re unlikely to grow your business and increase your profits. Whether you need a pinch valve or automotive parts, ensure that you quality check the resources and processes that your supplier provides. It can be helpful to search for reviews and testimonials before you make a commitment.
- Evaluate Your Suppliers
After choosing the right suppliers, it can be useful to use a performance tracking system. It’s helpful to have as much performance history information as possible, so that you know where you stand when it comes to contract renewal time. Ensure that your expectations are clear from the very beginning, it’s important that there is total transparency between you and your suppliers. Performance tracking will help you to improve the efficiency of your business processes overall.
