PAY ATTENTION because people do listen. Careful the things you do, please will see, Careful with how your are seen-attitude, dress, etc..
After reading an article last week and then participating in a webinar it evoked me to write this blog. I thought this is worth sharing and will give you a perspective on what small and large foodservice organizations are doing and their expectations.
Vetting strategies on how to choose the right vendor for your foodservice venue:
- Use them for a small project/trial basis
- Test/determine their problem solving abilities
- Looking for problem solvers.Are they a problem solver? Do they just want to sell their service or widget?
- People who are looking for suppliers/vendors check out what they have done, reference checks especially the higher the price point of the products/services
- Time they have been in foodservice business
- Local nuances that only local/regional vendors know about helps with zoning, energy regulations, water regulations, shipments, etc..
- Local should understand and it supports local communities, vendors, food and more
How do you find a reliable vendor?
- Personal connections
- Peer referrals
- Trades’ referrals
- individual insights on vendors in different regions of the world.
- Check websites, internet for references, news, data on that company
After finding the right vendor you need to set expectations: timelines, deliveries, follow up, installation, post sale training. flexibility is the key- Be honest. Minor time changes, schedules, shipment do occur and let them know how you handle these things if and when they happens. Always a punch list to get things going or in live setting.
Many end users like to take the right vendors (equipment, software, contractors, designers, consultants)along with them place to place, organization to organization once they have established that this vetted vendor understands how to work with them and can get the job done. Trust, credibility trumps it all. TRUST YOUR GUT.
Foodservice executives want a partner not just a vendor. say what you mean do what you say!
Passionately,
MARSHA DIAMOND 