You’ve evaluated supplier performance. What’s the best way to give feedback?

Giving feedback on supplier performance is crucial for maintaining a strong working relationship and ensuring continuous improvement. Here are some best practices for giving feedback effectively: 1. Be Specific and Objective 2. Timeliness 3. Focus on Improvement 4. Balance Positive and Negative Feedback 5. Set Clear Expectations 6. Follow Up

"Nothing is better than starting with the truth to build feedback for your supplier. Clearly state expectations and what will be evaluated, show your criteria and tools for analyzing the strengths and weaknesses in building this relationship. It's always good to leave open space for the supplier to adapt to your reality or vice versa, so that a win-win relationship can occur. Establish an analysis period and report your evaluation promptly."

Drawing from my experience in evaluating supplier performance, I've found that direct, personalized feedback is key. I schedule meetings to discuss specific examples of both strengths and areas needing improvement. I offer actionable suggestions and express gratitude for positive contributions. Encouraging open dialogue fosters mutual understanding. Providing a written summary afterward ensures clarity and serves as a reference for future improvements. This approach nurtures productive partnerships and drives continuous growth.

When giving feedback on supplier performance, be specific, constructive, and timely. Highlight both strengths and areas for improvement. Provide examples to illustrate your points and offer actionable suggestions for enhancement. Foster open dialogue and encourage suppliers to share their perspectives. Maintain professionalism and empathy in your communication to preserve the relationship. Collaborate on setting clear goals and expectations for future improvements.

Usually, I work together with the Quality, receiving, assembly, purchasing and production departments, to collect all the information and measure what is getting it right, what is going wrong and what could be improved.

Choose the right channel: Depending on the nature and urgency of your feedback, you may choose different channels to communicate with your supplier. For example, you may use email, phone, video call, or face-to-face meeting. Email is suitable for routine or positive feedback, such as acknowledging a successful delivery or a quality improvement. Phone or video call is better for more complex or negative feedback, such as addressing a delay or a defect. Face-to-face meeting is ideal for strategic or developmental feedback, such as discussing new opportunities or challenges.

The channel will depend on the complexity and the level of urgency. I usually make a first contact via phone and send an e-mail with the report, from this point on we work with the areas involved in the supplier and in the factory. Depending on the severity, complexity and urgency, we schedule a meeting to address the matter, usually with the presence of a member of the Quality team or other sectors according to the case.

Being specific and balanced in feedback is crucial for fostering a collaborative relationship. For instance, when addressing delivery delays with a Supplier, acknowledge past adherence to deadlines and suggest solutions to improve future timeliness. This constructive approach helps strengthen the partnership and achieve satisfactory outcomes for both parties.

El feedback a un proveedor tiene que prepararse con el mismo empe?o y diligencia que con un colaborador, tomar como base el SLA y los indicadores que se hayan acordado da una base común para evaluar y proponer.

Be specific and balanced: When you give feedback, be specific and concrete about what you are referring to. Avoid vague or general statements that may confuse or offend your supplier. For example, instead of saying "Your service is poor", say "Your response time to our queries was longer than the agreed SLA". Also, be balanced and fair in your feedback. Recognize and appreciate what your supplier has done well, and provide constructive suggestions on how they can improve. For example, instead of saying "Your quality is unacceptable", say "Your quality has improved since last quarter, but we still found some defects in the last batch. How can you prevent this from happening again?"

The crucial aspect of evaluating supplier performance is not only in ranking suppliers but also in determining the subsequent steps. When supplier performance is good, feedback serves as recognition and celebration, encouraging them to sustain their efforts. Conversely, if any areas require improvement, feedback should be clearly communicated to the supplier, ensuring mutual understanding and agreement with our assessment. Subsequently, you and supplier can find out solutions for enhancement and make action plans accordingly.