Breaking Barriers - Customer + Vendor

two way relationship

The customer <==> vendor relationship is key to all manufacturing success.
When the relationship works; everything works.

Yes, vendor and customer have different agendas, objectives and pressures.
But there are huge common overlaps where both parties can gain significant advantage.

Establish an early relationship with your vendor.

Imagine yourself as a member of the vendor’s team.

Help them with their problems.
Listen to their challenges.

Support them when things break.
It’s manufacturing ==> stuff breaks all the time.
That’s life.

Listen to operator concerns.
Talking to operators early gives you a head start of mitigating practical concerns.
Nobody wants to have to make these discoveries at DVT.

Here are a few quick behavior tweaks you can start using today to make your vendor-customer relationship stronger, more effective and more enjoyable.

the hands on approach

Visit the vendor’s tool room. Walk around. Smell the cutting fluid.

Be positive in your interactions. Stay curious.

Don’t be that cranky, self important customer. It doesn’t help.

Take a wander and see your tools on the assembly bench.
Touch the steel.
Feel the finish.
Rub fingers over venting.
Look for unusual signs.

Be curious. Ask questions to understand the practical challenges better.
Talk to the technicians.

“What’s the reason you decided to do X? “

Listen, listen, listen.

Eliminate the distance between customer and vendor.

Create a relationship with the people that make and build your tooling.
Communicate common goals.

Ask your vendor what aspects of the design and DFM could be better.

Be visible.

Be positive.

Be helpful.

Be supportive.

customer + vendor = same team

Sometimes there can be an exaggerated perception of the customer.

This can create unnecessary friction and communication gaps.

What happens?

The customer gets a bit too cozy in the perceived status elevation.

The vendor can get uncomfortable making suggestions and asking important questions.

How do you break through this limitation?

Make a real connection with your vendor.
Be open, curious and helpful.
See yourself as a member of your vendor’s team.

You will learn more about your tooling story.

Breaks. Mistakes. Dumb DFM choices.

Building trust and team comfort is the goal.

You will learn more about the tool, machine and process that is usually invisible.
The vendor may learn more about your bigger picture aspirations.

Win, win.

opportunity to enhance customer <==> vendor relationship

When something breaks.

Go see the damage.
Ask what happened.
Get photos and videos.

Help the vendor with suggestions on how to get things up and running again.
Discuss how you can improve process and safety to prevent future occurrence.

Don’t engage in blame. Not helpful.

It’s your job to encourage and give confidence to the team in the tool room.
Sometimes, the vendor management can put too much pressure on the team who make, fit and run your tooling.

Tooling is a craft.

It demands skill and patience to get the best results.

When stuff breaks, you have an opportunity . . .

• Ease the stress

• Strengthen customer-vendor relationship

When stuff breaks you will learn a lot.

A lot about your design decisions, your tooling and your process.

This is all positive.