Managing Vendor Relationships is comparative to when Dave managed Alvin and the Chipmunks.

I have come to see that management is hard. Running a recruitment agency, albeit fun, takes a lot of work, a lot of managing, and a lot of leadership... that is, of my vendors. Vendors are possibly the number one reason for my frustration in a day, as in so many people's days. Knowing that, what can you learn from your own vendors to help you be the better vendor, and win top-notch, repeat business?

What Do Vendors Do Wrong?

I've learned that the majority of people don't want to put that extra effort in to make deadlines to get you their product or service. Poor vendors - that is to say, the majority of vendors - are bad at keeping reasonable deadlines. However, what are vendors good at? They are amazing at picking up checks.

Now, what happens if you find a good vendor? If you find a good vendor - and I have some whom I love - you hold onto them for dear life. The thing is, this should teach you that if you are a good vendor and you have the right customer service, your clients will do the same. To

How Do You Find The Good Vendors?

Something that doesn't occur to many consumers, whether as a business or as individuals: the economy is always rainy on the second page of Google. Google doesn't go around and check what companies are truly good at let's say audio/visual consulting, and who are not. So a company languishing on Google's second page is likely there simply due to a low marketing budget, not necessarily due to poor performance or products.

Upon buying a non-essential product or service, go the second page of Google. It's like shopping at an outlet. The same can be true for the right side of the first page, which means that the company or individual is trying to PPC though cannot afford good placement.

How Do I Become A Good Vendor?

First, your phone does not go off until 7:00 p.m. If you are 35 or younger, you are still earning your work/life balance. We complain that 9-5 is too much, but 8-7 buys vacations in Mexico.

Just how should we manage our vendors? Remember that nobody is going to do something unless you make them want to do it. It's basic persuasion.

If you 1) negotiate too hard with a vendor, you're going to piss them off before the project even starts, 2) if you are unrealistic about your expectations, see ramifications for #1.

A lot of vendors are happy with the way things are. They're used to doing business when they quote you a Tuesday deadline and show up with the goods on Friday. Don't be that vendor. Be the one who beats those vendors.