Getting satisfaction from your suppliers

Buyers - Do you expect enough from your suppliers?
Suppliers - What do your clients expect of you?

We are conducting a series of short surveys concentrating on what distinguishes a great supplier from a poor one.

In Part2 - 'The Follow Up' we concentrated on the time between a quote and confirmation and how a supplier should act in the follow up period.

See below for the results.

YOU HAVE RECEIVED A DETAILED PROPOSAL/QUOTE FROM A SUPPLIER.

1) - After receiving information from your supplier by e-mail/post which would you prefer them to do next:

A) Call you immediately to tie up any queries. = 29%
B) Call back after a few days to allow you to digest the information. = 52%
C) Just leave you with it. = 19%

2) - If your enquiry required holding venue space or equipment, etc. for a particular date, which of the following would you deem acceptable from a supplier?

A) A weekly call to check if you still require the space/item held. = 32%
B) A two weekly call to check if you still require the space/item held. = 42%
C) A monthly call to check if you still require the space/item held. = 5%
D) A call when they have another enquiry for the space/item and not before. = 21%
E) To await your call one way or the other, as you always call suppliers to cancel space, etc. = 0%

3) - After receiving a proposal/quote have the subsequent actions of a supplier ever caused to alter your view on the proposal/quote, in a positive manner?

A) No = 47%
B) Yes = 53%

3A) Optional question. Let's go into a little more depth! What did the supplier do?:

Some comments

• Gone the extra mile to secure the business.
• Called offering help with other aspects of the event; generally helpful and polite.
• Have gone back to suppliers whose first quote was not the best and requested changes/ reductions. If a good response, eager to help/look at other options, have altered original view.

4) - After receiving a proposal/quote, have the subsequent actions of a supplier ever caused to alter your view on the proposal/quote, in a negative manner?

A) No = 13%
B) Yes = 87%

4A) Optional question. Let's go into a little more depth! What did the supplier do?:

Some Comments

• Failed to confirm the details of an order despite emails and calls until told the order would be cancelled unless the information was provided.

• Not known their subject / given wrong information.

• Price fluctuations after the quote; unnecessary pressure to book even though no one else was interested; general rudeness or hazy on the details (I was already concerned about their abilities so decided not to go ahead).

• Too pushy - excessive follow-up calls. Used alternative supplier.

• Changed costs, availability was changed and more hidden costs emerged.

• Being too demanding too quickly.

• Poor service in response to queries, e.g. calls not returned, lack of urgency in obtaining answers.

• When asking a venue owner to be more flexible in package offer,e.g. less canapés, more drinks, I have had a very aggressive, hard sell response, resulting in me never considering that particular venue again.

• It was the person's manner that made me decide I did not want to rely on this person at the event.

• Constant chasing for a decision having already been told that the proposal was with the client[s] and that we would be in touch as soon as our client had made their decision.

• Being too pushy and over selling on chase up calls.

• Sometimes, letting suppliers quote for you is the only way to get shot of them off the phone. It's generally arrogance that annoys me, that they can do it better than your current suppliers. I take about 6 calls per day minimum asking me if I'm responsible for events, what do I do etc? This is a waste of my time and takes me away from my work. They can by all means email me, brochures always get filed for reference, but annoy me on the phone and I chuck the brochure in the bin when it arrives because I don't want to do business with them.

• Not enough information was included in the proposal, and when I tried to clarify details, the supplier was very slow in responding. Also, unexpected costs not mentioned in the proposal suddenly crept in. I much prefer to know upfront what all the potential costs are going to be.

Needless to say, all of the above correspondents stated that the way Taste of the Vine conducts its business was peerless and should stand as an example to all! (We of course had to omit such flattery).