Supplier onboarding is the process through which the company suppliers are thoroughly equipped with the necessary information to become part of the company's supply chain. Through this process, the company's expectations are well communicated and expected to be addressed by the suppliers. Supplier onboarding is surely the backbone of effective supplying for every organization. If you do not engage your vendors in the onboarding process, you will be transacting with an empty warehouse. The success of your onboarding process has a direct linked to the supplier willingness to use your systems.
Ways to improve your supplier's onboarding
- Prioritize providers to onboard - A smaller number of vendors are easy to get on the onboarding process. They are also easy to manage and build upon them even for future bigger order. Remember that vendors account for how much a company spends - the lesser, the better.
- Get proactive - Supplier onboarding should be done early in the supply life before any problems arise. The onboarding process is meant to make the whole process seamless right from the beginning so that the suppliers will have no cause to turn back from the company.
- Strategize on how your suppliers will connect - Suppliers are either B2B or online vendors. The B2B vendors are the ones who deliver high volumes of supplies while the online providers use a web portal to provide. For the B2B vendors, ensure that they have a system that suits them instead of using your format. The online providers as well need your support in agreeing on a platform that does work for both of you. With thousands of browsers being released every day, there is such a temptation to want to upgrade your systems. Remember you have to prioritize your suppliers before you make any changes.
- Provide an easy solution to your provider's registration - Creating a username and a password and sending each supplier the login details will make life easier for the vendors. Setting an automated process and explaining how to use it is an easy way to help every seller learn how to use the system. The automated system will help digitalize your process allowing natural follow-up and record keeping for all the vendors.
- Come up with plans for future growth - You are at liberty to set goals that lead you towards increasing more suppliers by a particular time as a sign of company growth. You have to work hard at executing the plans you have now to get to the plans.