Finding suppliers is simple. All you need is the name of the product and access to Google. However, this is such a risky strategy. Not only will you have no idea who you could be buying from or the quality of product, you won’t understand whether the supplier has a robust customer services department that can support you when you really need it. Finding the right supplier takes a little longer than an internet search, but its vital you have a supplier that does your GP practice justice and delivers the right product at the right time at the right price. Getting the right supplier won’t just save you time but also money.
So how do you find the right supplier? There’s no better way of knowing if a supplier is any good than receiving a referral from one of their existing clients. Use your regional practice meetings to share your supplier lists and identify the highest performing suppliers. You may end up finding out that most of the local practices are using similar suppliers, so it’s important that you also speak to practices from outside of your region.
Even if your current supplier has done a fantastic job, always look out for what other suppliers are offering. At the very least you will be reassured that you’re using the best, at most you’ll have knowledge and therefore leverage, to start negotiating. Once you have a list of suppliers in mind, the next step will be analysing their skills ensuring they fit within your expectations.
