Do You Love Your Vendor?

By Catherine Lang-Cline

The partnerships are the best business relations and where we really thrive. We really work hard to understand and anticipate what our client needs. We really want our clients to succeed and look great! In return, we love clients that really understand why we are different, trust us, really appreciate the niche that we fill. Those clients want us to succeed, too.

Like all relationships, this sometimes requires work. We all have budgets, we all have stress, and we all just need to get the work done. That can sometimes cloud the judgment on both parts, but we press on, we find the right solutions. We find the relationship that works and hope that it turns into a partnership. A partnership that we can both feel the love. Let’s face it if you love your vendor you take the call. If you don’t…well, that one may just go to voicemail. We want you to take the call.

So what makes a great partnership?

  1. Communication – Clients need to be clear about what they want, vendors need to listen and make it clear they understand the ask. Both sides need to be responsive, it’s the only way everything moves forward. Everyone needs to be clear on expectations.

  2. Respect – Clients and vendors need respect for each other. Neither side wants a relationship where one side is always taking. The vendor just wants to make the sale. The client just wants a lower margin. Always be thinking about what you can do to make this easier. Then everyone gets what they want!

  3. True compatibility – Do you really, really like working with each other? Are pricing and resources all a fit? Or are you just hanging on to a bad partnership because you don’t know what else is out there? Nothing is more terrible than if the partnership is simply painful. Get realigned or get out. That goes for everyone.

We just need to find our match. Wait a minute, am I still talking about vendors and clients? Yes, but it really isn’t any different in business vs life and love. We want someone easy to get along with, anticipate our needs, not be a bully or a taker. Sometimes we settle because we feel like we will never find the right person…I mean, vendor. Sometimes we make due with what is in front of us, afraid of the unknown, afraid to take a chance. Maybe we all need to show a little more give and take, not to mention a little more love.

We try daily to lay the love on our clients. Extra servings for everyone! Hopefully, everyone feels this way about their clients. If you don’t feel this way, you know where to find us, standing over here, holding this rose.