Why is Supplier Quality Important?

Imagine a customer approaching your store, a big smile on his or her face. The customer greets the doorman with a cheery “Hello!” and they exchange pleasantries. He or she enters the store, looking forward to a fulfilling trip. This person isn’t just another customer; this person is a patron who repeatedly returns to the store for  their needs. In fact, your staff knows this patron by name—from the greeter, to the store assistants, to the cashiers. The quick errand that brings this patron to your establishment usually doesn’t feel like an errand. When it does, they feel assured that their concerns will be addressed and resolved. When they have a problem that the business can solve, they don’t hesitate to spend a little more on good quality. In fact, your business has special relationships with several such patrons.

Isn’t this every business owner’s dream? Does it sound very utopian? But it’s not impossible. In fact, many enterprises enjoy this special relationship with customers and have several patrons already. New products sell quickly because of the glossy brand name on their containers. Is your business one of them? Are your customers loyal to your store? Does your brand name bring a feeling of trust to consumers? When in a place they’re not familiar with, would they look for a branch of your store to solve their difficulties?

Isn’t this every business owner’s dream? Does it sound very utopian? It’s not impossible. In fact, many enterprises enjoy this special relationship with consumers and have several patrons already. New products sell quickly because of the glossy brand name on their containers. Is your business one of these brands? Are patrons loyal to your store? Does your brand name bring a feeling of trust to consumers? When in an unfamiliar place, would they look for a branch of your store to solve their difficulties?

If your business doesn’t yet share this mutual respect with consumers, you should be concerned; this indicates dissatisfaction among your buyers. If you do have patrons, have you calculated what percent of your buyers belong to this category? Businesses should aim to develop connections with customers and turn them into lifelong patrons. Compute the lifetime value of a single customer and compare this value with that of several new customers. This will give you a better picture of the expense of focusing resources on attracting new customers. They bring little value. You and your employees will also realize the possible profits your business is losing. Instead, switch your focus to converting customers to patrons. Many enterprises continue to make this mistake by not enhancing customer service and not creating an entire buying experience.

The quality you provide your customers defines your business.If your business doesn’t yet share this mutual respect with consumers, you should be concerned; this indicates dissatisfaction among your buyers. If you do have patrons, have you calculated what percent of your buyers belong to this category? Businesses should aim to develop connections with customers and turn them into lifelong patrons. Compute the lifetime value of a single customer and compare this value with that of several new customers. This will give you a better picture of the expense of focusing resources on attracting new customers. They bring little value. You and your employees will also realize the possible profits your business is losing. Instead, switch your focus to converting customers to patrons. Many enterprises continue to make this mistake by not enhancing customer service and not creating an entire buying experience.

Your ability to meet customer expectations speaks volumes about your business. Mediocrity doesn’t have a place in today’s competitive world. If you can’t meet customer expectations, you’re mediocre. If your enterprise is mediocre—depending on the geography and health of the industry in your area—your company could still survive and even turn a profit. However, creating a name around such a reputation is like signing a guarantee that your company won’t survive in the long run. It takes a lot more effort to change people’s negative opinions about your goods and services than it does to form positive ones from the beginning.

This doesn’t only apply to your product quality. Can you deliver your product on time? Can you replenish stocks as soon as possible? This is particularly crucial if your industry addresses any immediate need, such as health concerns. You should build a company culture that prioritizes your customers’ happiness. Their satisfaction revolves around the quality of experience your company can deliver. Customer satisfaction starts with what you promised and is solidified by your product and service quality.

Does your company practice Supplier Quality management? How do you ensure that you get quality supplies? What determines that you are working with a quality supplier? If your company does not regularly practice Supplier Quality Management, or regularly enforce supplier performance, it’s time to incorporate these practices. Our mission at SQA Services is to make sure that you stay on top of the competition. We ensure that operations are not neglected, but optimized for a competitive edge.

Don’t know where to start? We can help you with that.