by Brian McKay

Relationships in the workplace go beyond the team that you are working with to include outside influencers and clients. It also includes your suppliers' list, who should always be considered to be partners in your business and not just those who are vendors to help. It’s a two-way relationship when it comes to dealing with suppliers, and to be successful, you need to ensure that you understand the supply chain from the costs to the end product or service.

Supply chain management is essential to continue to maintain a streamlined business relationship. If your business is successful in managing supply chains, it's you who will understand how managing a relationship effectively is good for you and your company. You can build confidence in your supplier and ensure that you have the right opportunities ahead of you. You have to manage your relationships well, from the companies that supply your stationery to Aardvark Packers, who can provide your civil construction packers. It's all in the relationship, and with that in mind, you need to learn how to manage your supplier relationships. We've got five tips for you:

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1. Get Proactive. You cannot maintain a relationship when the relationship is one-sided. You need to build trust with your supplier, and that has to come from you, too. Be open, honest and frank about your needs and you will be able to gain the respect of your new supplier.

2. Keep Communicating. A shared understanding is essential. You need to rely on your suppliers to deliver the goods, and they need to rely on you to pay on time. So, make sure that you remain communicative at all times with your suppliers so that you can enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship.

3. Keep To Your Contract. If you sign a contract with a supplier, then you need to stick to your end of the bargain, too. Relationships require mutual respect and trust, and you need to be confident your supplier can deliver as much as they need to be confident that you will meet your contractual obligations.

4. Embrace Ethical Behaviour. If you have a problem with an invoice or paying up, you need to speak to your supplier straight away. The only way that you can maintain a good reputation is to be as ethical as possible with your behavior. You can go a long way to developing a trusting relationship if you ensure that you are honest at all times. Plus, you could find that your supplier is extraordinarily understanding and will give you time to pay!

5. Get Some Advice. If you have any issues with suppliers, you should always seek the right advice. Take the time to speak to a consultant in the right area or even a lawyer; just ensure that you aren't going it alone with your suppliers and products. You would get advice for everything else; suppliers should be one of those areas.

Supplier relationships are vital to your success; make them count, and your business will have no trouble keeping up.