Those who take care of their own business know that buying quality auto parts is essential for the success of the operation. Acquiring your products from anyone — and anyway — can end up hurting the company’s cash and, of course, negatively affecting the quality of the service provided, since it’s only a matter of time before customers associate the low quality parts to your business.
However, it is necessary to know how to negotiate and position oneself as a good buyer, entering into satisfactory agreements for all involved, thus ensuring a good position among its suppliers. And it goes without saying how much this can contribute to increasing your company’s competitive advantage, as the trend is for you to get better deals and more flexibility in payments and orders.
That’s why, in this article, we will unveil some postures and practices that can facilitate your future negotiations, bringing financial benefits to your business, helping you to buy quality auto parts without harming your cash flow and, at the same time, ensuring that you don’t get the reputation of being a “dumb” customer in the eyes of suppliers and partners! Let´s get to it, shall we?
How to buy quality auto parts in 4 steps
When we talk about negotiation, most people only think about that exact moment of contact with suppliers, when deadlines, quantities and payment terms are defined. For those who want to buy quality auto parts and stand out in the market, however, the negotiation needs to go far beyond that: it is necessary to create and cultivate a whole culture based on the relationship with these partners, and here we have separated 4 tips to help you in this task. Now write it down.
1- Make planned purchases
When you plan your purchases in advance, generally the work of all parties involved becomes easier, which is already half the way for those who want to win over sellers and thus achieve more flexibility in negotiations.
Here, a tip is to pay attention to periods when there is an increase in demand for certain parts in your workshop to stock up in advance. Remember that profit comes from planning and, therefore, it is essential that the business owner is also a good planner!
2- Control your stock
When working with vendors that serve thousands of customers, organization is also a crucial factor, right? For this, it is worth having an efficient stock management, with a detailed inventory of all the products and parts you have and, of course, always keeping it updated. For this, it is necessary to know what you have, the quantity of each item and record everything.
Regardless of whether this control is carried out with the support of a system, in an Excel table on the computer or in a simple notebook, the important thing is that an efficient and constant monitoring actually takes place. In this way, it is possible to keep the inventory flow up to date with inflows and outflows and establish a replenishment flow with larger purchases — which helps to make the price more flexible.
3- Create a trusting relationship with the supplier
For those working with automotive replacement, putting pressure on suppliers to reduce costs is normal. However, keep in mind that, at the end of the day, quality is what will ensure customer satisfaction. Therefore, it is essential to consider the cost-benefit, and not just consider the low value.
Respecting this balance is the key to building a trusting relationship with the supplier and ensuring that peace of mind of knowing that you’re going to buy quality auto parts for the right price, even if it’s not exactly the cheapest!
4- Communicate!
Finally, it never hurts to repeat the mantra that suppliers should be seen as partners of your company and, in this context, maintaining sincere, clear and frequent communication is an excellent way to strengthen the relationship with them. Remember the warning we made at the beginning of this list: trading goes far beyond the moment of purchase!
Try to strengthen the dialogue and share your considerations and questions with the supplier. He/she probably knows the reality of many other workshops, stores and grinders in his city or region and can even contribute some valuable tips precisely because he/she has this accumulated knowledge!
Count on RIO
And then, are you ready to create a new relationship culture with your suppliers and be successful among them? So be sure to share this material with your sales teams, partners and colleagues to ensure that the working environment in the automotive industry is increasingly healthy and profitable for everyone.
Oh, and don’t forget: whoever wants to buy quality auto parts already knows that RIO is the absolute leader in this regard! We have a complete portfolio of automotive parts for the most varied applications, all with the guarantee of orange origin that is our trademark. Visit the website, discover the catalog and discover how we can help your business create movement!
