Who are the “partners and suppliers” and what do they expect?
Every organization needs partners and suppliers to inspire its customers with products and services. Partnerships and suppliers are therefore two fundamental business relationships. You can strengthen your competitiveness and promote growth through smart management and the selection of suitable partners and suppliers.
Partners are usually companies or organizations that cooperate with each other on an equal foot ing and pursue common goals . A partnership can exist between two or more companies in order to jointly develop new products and services or form alliances that benefit both sides. Partners often work closely together on a long-term basis to achieve their common goals, which can lead to exciting innovations and new business models. Partners are generally important in order to better fulfill strategic goals.
In contrast, suppliers are companies or organizations that supply goods and services to other companies. They are often part of the supply chain or the procurement process and supply raw materials, components, parts or finished products. The cooperation between a company and a supplier is generally limited to the exchange of products or services and is usually regulated by clear contracts and purchase orders. Suppliers are important in order to better fulfill operational goals.
Typical expectations of partners and suppliers are
Reliability and compliance with contracts: Partners and suppliers expect contractual agreements and obligations to be fulfilled.
Transparent and clear communication: Partners and suppliers want good communication in order to be able to work efficiently with you.
Ethical business practices: You are expected to act responsibly, including compliance with labor and environmental standards.
Fairness and respect: They expect fair business conditions and appreciation of their contributions to the success of the business.
Long-term relationships and cooperation: Partners and suppliers are looking for stable, long-term relationships and support when challenges arise.
Where the big players merge, the small players have to cooperate
Customers generally only see your organization and expect you to have clear contact persons. In other words, you bear full responsibility for your partners and suppliers.
The better your partners and suppliers are, the easier it will be for you to fulfill this responsibility. It is therefore important to always know the current expectations of partners and suppliers. This requires a balanced set of instruments.
Good partners will only work with you if you are attractive yourself. It is therefore advisable to always promote your ability to cooperate.
Responses