As a business owner, you know that staying on top of your suppliers is critical to your company’s success. But when you have a supplier not meeting expectations, breaking off the relationship and finding a new supplier can be challenging. Fortunately, it’s easier than you think. Here’s how to break up with non-performing suppliers and move forward. 

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Research Your Options 

Before you decide to end your relationship with a supplier, be sure to do some research first. Are there other suppliers out there who could provide you with similar services? Do they have better reviews or more experience? It’s important to weigh your options before settling on one supplier. 

Set Clear Performance Expectations 

Once you’ve identified potential alternatives, it’s time to set clear performance expectations for your current supplier. What performance benchmarks will allow them to continue working with you? If they don’t meet those expectations, it may be time for them to go. 

Read more : Best Practices for Supplier Relationship Management: Moving Toward Maturity

Communicate Openly With Your Supplier 

It can be difficult (and uncomfortable) to break up with someone, so it helps if you communicate openly and honestly with your supplier about where they need improvement and what changes need to take place for them to stay on as a vendor. This way, both parties understand exactly what needs to happen for things to work out between them. 

Be Prepared To Move On Quickly And Efficiently 

If the situation can’t be resolved or improved upon, then it’s important that you’re prepared to move on quickly and efficiently. Ensure all paperwork is in order and all contracts have been terminated before starting up again with another supplier. This will ensure a smooth transition and minimal customer service disruption. 

Read more : Improve Supplier Compliance in Three Simple Ways with Inhouse

Invest In 3rd Party Supplier Management Services

In the future, investing in third-party supplier management services may be a good idea. These services help you monitor and manage suppliers more effectively to keep up with their performance and quickly spot problems before they become too big. 

Supplier Management Service Providers know what’s essential and can assist you in managing your suppliers so that you can find the right ones faster. They also use several sets of data-driven metrics to assess supplier performance, costs and risks, allowing you to make informed decisions about vendors. 

Conclusion

Breaking up with non-performing suppliers doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful—as long as you take the proper steps ahead of time. Be sure you’ve researched potential replacements thoroughly; set clear performance expectations; communicate openly; and prepare for fast action if necessary. Investing in third-party supplier management services can also be invaluable for future supplier relationships. With the right approach, you’ll have no problem finding a better vendor and getting back on track. 

InHouse is a leading third-party supplier management service provider that can help you manage your suppliers and identify the best vendors for your needs. It performs Supplier Audit & Verification, Supplier Performance Evaluation, Supplier Performance Improvement, Quality Control & Training, and Management Consulting & Strategy on behalf of its customers. 

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you find the right supplier for your business needs.

We hope this article has been helpful and informative in helping you break up with non-performing suppliers and find better ones quickly. Good luck!