Are Suppliers Partners, Friends, or Enemies?

Barbara Nellis and Sandy Watson have just given one another a high five. Close friends and neighbors for several years now, they each recently sent their youngest child off to college. For the past few years they have dreamed of opening a small restaurant so they could re-enter the workforce after many years of being stay-at-home moms.

Barbaras husband, a dentist, and Sandys husband, an electrical engineering contractor, have agreed to finance the new venture for their spouses. They have their name selectedDelicious Delithe concept (a delicatessen), the theme (contemporary fashions), and the location (2,000 square feet in a strip mall).

They are now getting calls, e-mails, letters, and walk-in visits by all sorts of distributors who want their business for the products they sell. Both of them are feeling a bit overwhelmed and have come to the conclusion that they need to develop a checklist by which they can evaluate distributors and assist in making the right selections. They have no experience in this regard and ask you to help them. You agree to do so, for a fee.

Discussion Question

1. What will be on the checklist you develop to evaluate suppliers?