Key tips to consider when changing suppliers

The decision to change your supplier isn’t an easy one. There are benefits, of course – some of which you can read here – but it’s not a decision you suddenly jump to.  

As humans, we always want to be patient with people and give them a chance. It’s generally rare that people leave a long-standing supplier on a whim because of one isolated incident.  

Instead, it’s a combination of many things. In our sector, it’ll be unreliable deliveries, a lack of product range, contentious pricing and an impersonal approach.  

These won’t be one-off instances either, it’ll be prolonged to the point where you decide enough is enough and that you want to try something different.  

But what do you do once you’ve decided to call it a day? How do you move from one supplier to another smoothly and without issues? 

In this article, we will offer three key tips that you should bear in mind when you’re actively looking to change suppliers.  

By taking them onboard, you will hopefully have an incident-free switchover! 

Research, research, research

The phrase “out of the frying pan and into the fire” is very applicable when looking to switch suppliers. The last thing you want is to have a honeymoon period and then discover you’ve got the same issues as before.  

As such, it’s imperative you take the time to fully research your prospective new supplier before you make the switch.  

Granted, this may take a lot of time, but it’s worth it as it protects you from repeating the same mistake twice.  

Pore over every detail on their website and talk to people who use them and ask for detailed answers. Alternatively, you could even engage in a trial period if that’s something on offer.  

By doing this level of research, you can find out exactly how that supplier works, so there are no hidden surprises if you switch to them.  

To give another phrase, “fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” If you just switch to someone without researching, you run a huge risk.  

Be bold with your communication 

At some point, you are going to have to speak to your existing supplier and explain that you’re going to move to a new one.  

It’s not exactly a comfortable conversation to have, but it’s one that you need to do. It’s also one that you could contractually have to do, depending on if you have a written agreement with them.  

At this stage, your existing supplier will likely try to entice you to stay with them and one way of doing so could be by slashing your prices.  

This will pose a new decision for you to have to make, but if you choose to stick to your guns and change all the same, then you will have to explain why.  

Even if you don’t contact them first, they will likely get in touch with you when they realise that your spend has stopped. As such, the conversation is unavoidable, so it’s best to do it on your terms.  

Outline a plan so it’s a smooth transition 

With everything sorted, you’ll need to ensure that everything is in place for a smooth transition. It’s vital your business has as little disruption as possible, so you’ll need to be organised.  

The biggest thing to sort out will be delivery times. Even though your logistics may be having some disruption in that you’re changing suppliers, your projects can’t.  

It’s therefore best to outline at the start what projects you’ll be needing your new supplier for in the immediate short term, before planning longer-term projects with them.  

Make sure everyone in your team is up to speed so they know what to expect, as certain operational things could be very different.  

For example, they might have to sign for a delivery now, or be alerted by a driver that they’re 10 minutes out with your parcel.  

Doing what’s best for you 

As we said at the start of the article, deciding to switch suppliers isn’t an easy decision to make. It also indicates that you’ve been fed up for some time, which is something no-one wants.  

However, by doing due diligence on a new supplier, you can remove all of those issues and find a more efficient method of doing your projects.  

That’s what these three tips are designed to do as ultimately, we want what is best for you and want you to be happy with your supplier.  

If you are interested in finding out what Multifix can offer you as a supplier, you can get in contact with a member of our expert team here.