| Suppliers and contractors are backbone of most of | | | | client will give you the best idea of vendor credibility |
| the businesses. They bring agility and quality in to the | | | | and trust is very important thing in the business |
| business. Suppliers not only give you the raw material | | | | relationship. |
| or ancillaries but they can be useful in determination | | | | Reliability: Reliability is also critical factor to determine |
| of competitiveness, technology changes, market | | | | good relationship. Reliable steel suppliers works with |
| health and in new product development. Steel | | | | Just in Time (JIT) philosophy. They will supply you |
| industry has been backbone of machines since the | | | | the exact number of items on precise time with |
| industrialization. It is hard to imagine our life without | | | | immaculate quality. It also reduces the cost of |
| steel. Different variants of steel are ingredients of big | | | | storage and handling at the manufacturers end. Large |
| finished machines as well as small tools. The same | | | | suppliers are often more reliable then the small |
| consume this steel from suppliers and finding | | | | volume vendors. Big companies have the resources |
| professional supplier is not an easy task. | | | | to devote to backup systems and sources so that, if |
| Professional steel supplier: | | | | something goes wrong, they can still live up to their |
| There are mainly five criterion that which can be | | | | responsibilities to you. But at times small companies |
| useful for determination of supplier professionalism. | | | | also proved to be more responsive because of the" |
| These five measures are: Quality, Reliability, Agility, | | | | bigger is better" nature of business. |
| credibility and competitive. | | | | Agility: There are more variables/uncertainties in steel |
| Quality: Quality is always been seen as the first | | | | industry then ever before. Technology cycle is |
| priority by shrewd customer. But Quality comes at a | | | | speediest in all times. Agility of the vendor is desirable |
| price. Often steel suppliers are selected based on low | | | | to keep up with the changes in the market. Supplier |
| price. It is desirable for successful business relationship | | | | needs to agile as much as you when it comes to |
| that both parties form win-win situation. Machine | | | | responding new opportunity, technology, strategy |
| Manufacture needs to evaluate the steel suppliers' | | | | and changes in the government law and market |
| quality policy and their technical capability of | | | | needs. Agility also decreases lead time when |
| maintaining same quality on every order. It is also | | | | implemented in manufacturing environment. |
| important to see supplier's existing client portfolio and | | | | Competitive: Competitiveness is a comparative |
| research in to what quality of steel they receive. This | | | | concept of the ability and performance of a firm, |
| is a single most important thing that forms the | | | | sub-sector or country to sell and supply goods and/or |
| foundation of long term successful | | | | services in a given market. It is the best indicator |
| manufacture-vendor relationship so this should not be | | | | whether the business relationship will last longer or will |
| ignored. Steel quality is measured in terms of carbon | | | | end up in span of few years. For example the steel |
| content in it. There are various instruments and | | | | supplier is agile enough to respond the changes but |
| method available for evaluating quality of steel or say | | | | question is can they deliver the product with the |
| supplier! | | | | same price or often at lower price? Can the vendor |
| Credibility: Well established and well reputed steel | | | | maintain the same quality while maintaining its agility |
| company has history of very good customer | | | | and credibility? Often supplier competitiveness is |
| satisfaction ratio. It would give more insight of its | | | | driven by the original equipment manufactures (OEM). |
| credibility when you talk to their executive level | | | | Maintaining good relationship with supplier is as |
| management. Steel supplier with more number of | | | | important as choosing one. Once the relationship |
| years in business also understands and fulfills | | | | established its good to work with rather they work |
| manufacturer requirement. Talking to their existing | | | | for you. |