Fiona’s thoughts on building relationships with suppliers

What’s your opinion of suppliers?  I think businesses should consider them amongst their favourite people; an individual or company which aids your ambition to meet deadlines, reach creative potential and be a guiding force through your ideas until completion.  However, as the days on your advent calendar drop away, just sending out Christmas cards to any old printing firm or local designer isn’t going to make an impression.  Instead, by establishing a relationship with a supplier – a task so simply instigated by inviting them for a meeting (or something less formal if you prefer) will improve the chance of greater understanding of your business needs & what they can offer you. Deals will be done and new relationships will be made. All pretty harmless really!

Because, and to use the old adage, a supplier is not just for Christmas… a supplier will help you through every season, by updating your webpage or printing your marketing materials.  If you call on them quite randomly, chances are they will discard you (and your Christmas card) without a second thought.  But who can dismiss the offer of a homemade mince pie and lovely cup of tea in the comfort of your office? [Other snacks are available for non-mince pie fans!]

Rambutan pride themselves on working with locally based companies, who posess a wealth of talents which make us shine even brighter, and we hope they utilise us as much as we utilise them.