Unpopular opinion: My old boss at the Sterling Heights plant was right about supplier relationships

He always said, 'Pick a local supplier and stick with them, even if their bid is a bit higher.' I ignored that for years, chasing the lowest price from whoever. Last year, a new out-of-state vendor for custom brackets was two weeks late, and it shut down a line for three days. The local guys in Warren would have moved heaven and earth to fix it. Anyone else find that loyalty matters more here than in other markets?

2 comments

2 Comments

kelly6111d ago

I mean, three days of downtime is rough, but that sounds like a problem with that one specific out of state vendor, not the whole idea of shopping around. You can find bad local suppliers too. I've had local guys mess up just as bad. Maybe it's just me, but putting all your eggs in one basket feels risky no matter where they are. You gotta have a backup plan.

kellyg1411d ago

Exactly. You're dead on, kelly61. I had a local guy swear he could get me a specific motor coupler next day. Two days later, nothing but excuses. Meanwhile, I found the same part from a supplier three states over and had it overnighted for less. The local guy lost my business for good. It's not about geography, it's about who actually delivers. Having options is the only way to avoid getting stuck.