Suppliers are under new pressure to meet a higher demand for raw materials, equipment, tools, machines, lubricants, etc. The B2B environment is more hotly contested than ever as local businesses are incorporating more custom than ever. This has meant that suppliers have had to shift from only supplying large brands, to focussing more on supplying small businesses and entrepreneurs too.
Expanding their operations, it’s going to be easier than ever to find suppliers. However, how do you find the right supplier? It matters what type of business you are, the type of products you make, and the kinds of costs you envisage taking on. Here are the two most common ways to find the best suppliers for your business.
Suppliers directory
The best way to go about finding the right supplier, is to do it the old fashioned way. Flipping through a directory is a great way to make a list of all the suppliers local to you. You’ll find their brand name, address, website, contact details and mission statement.
The key is to narrow down the list. Here is how you can do it.
- Costs. You’ll want to go to the most affordable suppliers first but then you should be aware of quality. Sometimes the cheapest really is not the best choice because of the lack of quality.
- The location. If the supplier is closer to you, the delivery of the materials, tools, techniques and more will be made sooner. It will also mean you can make faster corrections to your orders when you need more or less.
- The reputation. Always search up the brand before making a decision. They might have a bad reputation for being late with the delivery, poor quality control, unpredictable pricing, etc.
- Business Maturity. If the business is older and has been around for a while, they will be more stable during tough economic times. However they may have more clients so they will not give your orders their utmost attention. A smaller supplier could be the opposite, slightly more vulnerable but quicker to react to your needs.
Best in class
The measurement of quality in your supplies can be done using a best in class system. For example, if you are a tattoo business, take a look at some of the most trusted tattoo equipment. It will have inks, cartridges, needles, and other equipment that have met the industry standard, have been approved by regulators and have a great reputation.
Often you’ll find the best equipment has been given the highest pass ratings during safety tests, longevity, pressure tests and other hard tests that assess the quality and failure rate of a product. Speak with industry regulators to see which tools, equipment and machines have impressed them the most and then go from there.
Many business owners struggle to find the best suppliers they can hope for but with these two techniques, you should be in a better position. Let us know how you got on.
