Happy Vendors = Great Client Fulfillment | Part 5 Of The People Skills Primer

A vendor could be someone who does tasks like printing for you. Or who supplies your office with things like stationary. This could even be a carpenter who designs the stage at an event your company hosts. Or the person who supplies raw materials to your production unit. So how do you deal with vendors and make them love you?

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Here's some situations you may face while dealing with vendors. Situation 1: You need a certain additional service from your vendor, but he claims it is outside his area of expertise.

Bad Idea - Keep nudging him to take it up until he relents.
Good Idea - take suggestions on who can help you with the matter and how to go about it

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  Situation 2: Your vendor is quite frustrated with you as a client, but he knows it’s not your fault and he is talking ill about the company.

Bad Idea - Join him, or at least, agree with him. You know that the vendor is not at fault and it’s therapeutic to bitch about your boss and your company.
Good Idea - No matter what, you are a representative of your company. Politely change the topic to work-related matter. You can always be direct and tell him, that while you sympathise with him, you would rather not talk about it.

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  Situation 3: You want the vendor to take up your business instead of your competitors. But he is reluctant to do so.

Bad Idea - Offer him a side-cut so that you have one less problem to deal with
Good Idea - Ask him patiently and remind him of your track record of being a decent client to work with.

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  Situation 4: The vendor is your friend from college or a childhood acquaintance.

Bad Idea - Meet him casually, tell him inside secrets and how to negotiate better. A pal’s always a pal, right?
Good Idea - Be strictly professional. Stick to work-related matters. Keep personal and professional separate.

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  Situation 5: There is some problem with the delivery, but it’s not entirely unusable.

Bad Idea - Call the vendor out on his shit, and swear never to do business with him again. And of course, don’t pay him a penny.
Good Idea - Communicate your disappointment and offer him part payment to cover his expenses. Discuss if you can repair the damage.

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  In the next part find out about how to be "emotionally" intelligent at the workplace, and why it matters.