Supplier interviews

Supplier interviews play a crucial role in the context of innovation, particularly in assessing the viability and feasibility dimensions. By conducting interviews with suppliers, organizations can gather valuable insights and information related to the availability and capabilities of key resources, materials, and technologies that are essential for the successful implementation of an innovation.

Step-by-Step Guide:

Supplier interviews are an essential process for evaluating potential suppliers' capabilities, reliability, and alignment with your business needs. They help you make informed decisions when selecting vendors for your project.

Step 1: Prepare Your Objectives

• Define the purpose of the interview: Are you evaluating a new supplier, assessing current performance, or exploring new capabilities?

• Identify the key criteria you need from the supplier (e.g., quality, cost, lead times, certifications).

Step 2: Create a Structured Questionnaire

• Develop a list of questions based on your objectives. Categories may include:

• Capabilities: What products or services does the supplier offer? What is their production capacity?

• Quality Control: What systems are in place to ensure product quality?

• Lead Times and Delivery: What are typical lead times, and how does the supplier handle urgent orders?

• Pricing: What is the pricing structure, and how flexible is it?

• Sustainability: Does the supplier follow any sustainable practices or certifications?

• References: Can they provide references from other clients?

Step 3: Schedule the Interview

• Set up a meeting with the supplier’s representative(s), ensuring all key stakeholders from your team can attend.

• Share the agenda and interview format ahead of time so the supplier can prepare.

Step 4: Conduct the Interview

• Start with introductions and a brief explanation of your company’s needs and expectations.

• Ask your structured questions, making sure to allow the supplier time to provide detailed answers.

• Take notes on their responses, paying attention to both what is said and how it is said.

• Probe deeper into any areas where clarity or further detail is needed, particularly on critical aspects like quality control or production capacity.

Step 5: Evaluate the Supplier’s Responses

• After the interview, compare the supplier’s responses to your initial criteria.

• Assess their strengths and weaknesses, considering factors such as reliability, flexibility, and long-term fit.

• Rank the supplier on various criteria (e.g., quality, price, delivery times) using a scoring system or matrix if interviewing multiple suppliers.

Step 6: Follow-Up

• Clarify any uncertainties by following up with additional questions or requesting more documentation, such as quality certifications or references.

• Communicate the next steps with the supplier, whether it’s a decision to move forward or not.

Step 7: Make a Decision

• Based on the interviews, decide whether the supplier meets your requirements and whether to proceed with them.

• If needed, negotiate final terms before establishing a formal relationship.

This process ensures that you gather enough information to make an informed and strategic supplier selection.  

Example:

Unilever provides a great example of using supplier interviews effectively. In collaboration with Novozyme, Unilever engaged in a supplier development process to co-create new enzyme solutions for more sustainable detergents. Through in-depth interviews and joint business planning, Unilever assessed Novozyme's capabilities and aligned both parties on mutual innovation goals. This collaboration resulted in product innovations that not only enhanced performance but also helped reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions, showing the strategic value of supplier interviews. This approach highlights the importance of supplier interviews in fostering innovation and long-term partnerships.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

For more information on the topic, please see the source below:

Volker, L., Schotanus, F. (2023). Tendering and Supplier Selection. In: Grandia, J., Volker, L. (eds) Public Procurement. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18490-1_6  

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

#Trends #Stakeholders #Tech Capability