Making for a good supply-chain player

摘要

I am often asked what is needed to become an automotive supply company. Unless there is a known business need where you have been contacted then the answer is quite simple: cost. But it's also true to say that this is not the only metric. Behind the decision to introduce a new supplier a large amount of resource and effort is necessary, therefore the interested stakeholders want to understand the benefit before they start. I'm looking for a supplier that understands my business - make sure you do your homework on the products that we manufacture. Your company doesn't need to be big but it needs to be forward-thinking, it needs to be profitable, professional, and I need to know that you will be around for the long haul. Don't start by telling me you're not the cheapest... it really is a turn-off for a buyer. Basically, you are saying you are expensive, and I would be a rich man if I had been paid every time I had listened to this opening gambit.