Most, if not all businesses go through the hassle of finding the perfect provider of their requirements. What many overlook, is the no trick involved formula. Choosing the most suitable supplier can be a hassle due to many reasons, one of the most popular ones being: friends. It has been noticed that when a mate contributes their services, one seems to be forced to proceed with them as a matter of veneration. What happens at later on stages is the most common reason of why many of these friendships fail or exceed in fights.

Every person has their own opinion on how relationships can be managed properly. And while some tend to believe that you should never mix pleasure with business, others assume and trust that with proper attention and care (TLC) things can actually go smooth.

Over the years, we have witnessed many scenarios with our small and medium enterprise clients and entrepreneurs on this case, so we thought, let’s share!

Check the vendor out (or stalk?)

There is no harm in stalking when required right? And it’s your business – so we’ll just give you the green light for it. Check out the vendors websites. Make sure you have options and work on narrowing them down by filtering which ones are more appealing to your business requirements – think, meet a checklist!

Ask your network and contacts about them

You are in business, thus must have a network. Utilize your network contacts and ask around for feedback (+ suggestions) on names in the industry.

Interact with them

Meet a few times with the manager or the representative you will be mainly dealing with. Hitting it off will defiantly help make your communication easier. Make sure you also see how they deal with you via email as most of your communication will be done electronically. Look for simple and on point statements and updates – works like a charm!

Sign up for a short period of time if possible

Try to start with a trial period to test the waters and see how you and the other party make do in business. This ensures a clear path from the start.

Follow up regularly

There is an art of chasing up on updates. Although regular updates from the supplier are expected, as the business owner / manager, you are entitled to regularly follow up on updates and performance – make use of it! Ensure you have your to action list/to do list ready for reference and guidance.

Be polite and nice

Respect goes a long way. Make sure you are kind to the other party in order to make the communication process suave for everyone.

We have been in the business for many years now and had used these tips and tricks with a returned great outcome so far. We would love to hear your advice and how you incorporate it in your business life. Make sure to leave a comment below!