...Really?

I suspect the answer is no. It takes too much effort on the part of a distributor to tell them. And whom do you even reach out to? How do you know whom to contact? Do distributors fail by not making the effort to offer constructive criticism? Do suppliers fail by not making feedback easier to give? Is there such a thing as a "suggestion box" with anyone?

While this Rant addresses things that can go wrong with suppliers, distributors can also be part of the problem. As I share my frustration in situations I've experienced, I realize I can't fix some things. But what can I do to help make the supplier's job easier?

Am I communicating all the details clearly? What I need, when I need it, what the time deadline is? Did I ask for all the prices and charges to be clearly stated? Did I address the time difference in our locations? Was I clear on how and where to best contact me? Even if I think I have answered all these questions, maybe I didn't from the CSR's perspective. Should my last question be "Have I given you all the information you need to help me out?"

When working with a supplier, am I taking the time to double check all the information? Have I forgotten a small detail that will slow things down by requiring a phone call or email to me? When sending email, are my subject lines clear as to the content? Am I including order numbers, previous discussions, contact details and time frames? If distributors and suppliers concentrated a bit more on effective communication, business transactions would go much smoother. We can ALL improve on such simple things.

In a future Rant, we will follow up on this topic from a supplier's perspective.