Today I wanted to have what I thought would be a difficult conversation with one of our suppliers about some of the things that have been niggling me that I wanted to address. I planned out the points I wanted to raise so I didn't go off topic and tried to talk through my head the way I wanted the conversation to go. I didn't want to become over passionate which can often be interpreted as aggression. I had been putting git off as I thought it was going to be an awkward conversation, but just forced myself into a corner by first sending in an email to ask if I could have chat. That way I had started the ball rolling and couldn't get out of it.
The telephone call went really well, much better than I could've expected. The Supplier was really receptive to the things I put forward and also agreed to change the things I requested. There were our payment terms and the way direct orders and enquiries are processed. Currently, any direct orders or enquiries are coming into the office and then dealt with by the office and we are never told about them. The problem with this is that we don't know about accounts are our area I don't know to look after them. This means that we could sell right next door to that account without even realising it and cause problems for both stockists.
We agreed going forward that any enquiries that came into the office would be directed to us for us to contact and arrange an appointment. We've also agreed that they would fall in line with everybody else and do 30 days payment terms. Prior to this, we were only getting paid once a customer paid them which meant there were no definitive payment dates for our orders. That could drag on for months. This can be very off-putting especially when you're struggling for money and you need to know what you're getting each month. Obviously, you're going to focus on the suppliers that pay you straight away.
I came off the call feeling really motivated and it also makes you want to sell that product more when you feel like you are working together and not against each other. I'm just really loving work at the moment and trying to make everything as smooth a process as possible as I find the less friction there is the more likely you are to be productive and work efficiently.
Bella seems to be liking her new hardness and doesn't back away from it like she used to with her old one. She obviously knows quality when she sees it lol. Had a nice drive out to Kendal and the weather was nice so felt like a day out. Also opened a new Giftwrap account so all in all it was a good day.
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