If you want to do a partnership with new manufacturers, then verification is one of the most crucial tasks that should be done. Nowadays, many companies are losing millions by choosing the wrong business partners for their process. It not only hurts your overall profit but also your reputation among your potential customers. In these articles, I will share with you some ideas so that you can verify your manufacturers in an easy way.
Analyze Manufacturers Evaluating their Facilities
There is no better way to get an idea of a provider’s capabilities than to see them in first-hand work. Most of the importers choose to travel directly to the facilities of their suppliers and meet them there. Meeting with potential providers in person brings some benefits like:
- If you understand what to look for, you can easily gather a lot of information during your visit that’ll help you qualify for the potential provider.
- You have the opportunity to create a close relationship with your supplier from the beginning.
- You can review your needs with the relevant people in great detail in order to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Note: You may need an interpreter if you cannot speak their local language. A vendor’s salespeople generally speak English well, but factory production managers often do not.
- And if you time your meetings wisely, you can easily meet with most or all the suppliers on your shortlist on the same trip.
In spite of these advantages, visiting suppliers in person in order to evaluate them is not for everyone. Depending on your experience and the location and number of the suppliers you plan to visit, doing so can be ineffective and costly.
Supplier Qualification Audits
Some importers feel more comfortable hiring a professional auditor in order to investigate their potential suppliers. While others may feel competent doing the audit, they find it too expensive to travel to a different place in the world just to visit 1 or 2 factories.
