The Buyer Angle: What Makes a Good Supplier?

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What makes a good supplier? Well, who better to ask than the buyer, or those who have written the bible of buying for UK Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply.

Here are the answers:

· Delivers on time

· Provides consistent quality

· Gives a good price

· Has a stable background

· Provides good service backup

· Is responsive to our needs

· Keeps promises

· Provides technical support

· Keeps the buyer informed on progress

As salespeople we tend to focus on some of these variables more than others. For example, we often focus immediately on price and quality, but less on service related aspects such as keeping promises, or keeping the buyer informed of progress.

So, what does all of this mean? Well, everything and nothing. The more interesting question is are you performing better on some of these criteria, than others? Does your sales pitch fail to address any of the factors listed above that are important to buyers?