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Sourcing and Costing Tips for Effective Supplier Communication

 

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If you're a business owner, you understand how important it is to source quality materials for your products. As you continue to expand your operations, the importance of establishing a robust and reliable supply chain cannot be overstated, which is why effective communication with suppliers is critical to ensure that your business operations run smoothly.


However, before starting to initiate any contact with a supplier, it is important to prepare and plan. The 3 Clicks Cloud Style and Costing Applications provide a comprehensive solution that simplifies this process. In this article, we will discuss the essential steps to prepare before starting to communicate with suppliers using these applications. 



Steps to prepare before reaching out to a Supplier


1. Sourcing

The first step is to source potential suppliers. The costing application in 3 Clicks Cloud allows you to gather information about the factory, their products, their customers, and other essential details. Before contacting suppliers, it is crucial to determine your requirements and non-negotiables, such as ethical sourcing, quality standards, certifications, compliance, and any specialized expertise, such as fabric and construction expertise. Additionally, you need to consider the price range and the country of origin (COO) for the products.


You also need to consider the supplier's capability and their minimum order quantity (MOQ) for manufacturing quantities per style, colour, and size. These details will help you identify potential suppliers that meet your requirements and can deliver products in a timely and efficient manner.


2. Product Briefing

Once you have identified potential suppliers, the next step is to provide them with a product briefing. The Style Application in 3 Clicks allows you to provide clear product specifications and details, including fabric, trim, and colour preferences, as well as reference samples to ensure that the supplier understands your requirements.


It is essential to provide a planner order quantity per style, colour, and size to help the supplier plan their production capacity. By doing so, you can ensure that the supplier can meet your demand and deliver the products on time.


3. Budget, Target Costs, and Order Quantity

The final step is to determine your budget, target costs, and order quantity. The costing application in 3 Clicks allows you to determine the cost of production and validate the supplier's price competitiveness. 


Clear and concise communication with suppliers is crucial to ensure that both parties understand each other's expectations. You need to procure quotes from at least two to four suppliers to validate the price's competitiveness because it will help you negotiate a fair price without compromising on quality.



By following these steps, you can effectively prepare before communicating with a supplier using the 3 Clicks Cloud Style and Costing Applications. These tools can help you streamline the process and ensure that you're getting the best materials for your products. It helps you save time, reduces errors and redundancies, and improves communication with suppliers, leading to a more efficient and cost-effective business operations. 

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