The Secret to Hiring Reliable Vendors

A Facilities Manager’s workday is busy from start to finish. Keeping commercial facilities up and running is a full-time job and it requires a network of reliable vendors that can be trusted to provide a high level of service. That’s why the best Facilities Managers put so much effort into finding great companies they can partner with. The problem is that there are so many service providers out there that it can be hard to find the best ones. At a minimum, they need to be licensed, insured, and experienced. But top-performing Facilities Managers know that there’s one thing that makes a great vendor irreplaceable: customer service.

For Facilities Managers, the quality of a vendor’s customer service can impact their budget and schedule. Not mention the fact that changing vendors frequently can create a lapse in service and affect the facility. If a property has a consistently revolving door of vendors coming and going, it might be time to look for one that can deliver on this important factor and bring some stability. Here are two of the main ways that a focus on customer service can make vendors more reliable.

| RESPONSIVENESS

There’s nothing more frustrating for Facilities Managers than a vendor they can’t get a hold of. They’ve got fires to put out left and right, and when they need a vendor they usually need them now. When shopping around for your next vendor, pay attention to how responsive they are in the sales or proposal process. It’s usually an indicator of how responsive they’ll be in day-t0-day interactions.

A vendor that’s responsive will quickly become a favorite for Facilities Managers. It shows a sense of urgency and commitment to service that, in turn, helps the Facilities Manager provide great service themselves. Not only will a responsive vendor take care of regularly scheduled work in a timely manner, they’ll also be the one called upon during emergencies.

| ANTICIPATION OF CLIENT NEEDS

A vendor that can react quickly to a client’s needs is great, but one that can anticipate a client’s needs is priceless. And that doesn’t mean they’re anticipating the Facilities Manager’s needs. A vendor that can truly deliver on this will be able to anticipate the needs of the building owner or tenant that is the Facilities Manager’s client. The vendor will build a strong understanding of the daily operations of the facility and make recommendations to the Facilities Manager that can save both time and money by heading off potential problems before they arise. If a Facilities Manager can find a vendor who makes this a priority, they’ll look like a magician to the building owner or tenant.

But finding this level of customer service is akin to the needle in the haystack. The best way to spot it in the sales or proposal process is to look for recommendations that take the extra step. They should not only resolve the original problem, but look for ways to prevent it from happening again in the future. One of the best ways to do this is with regularly scheduled preventative maintenance.

AAA Facility Services is a full-service construction, plumbing, electrical, and repair & maintenance provider. Click here to learn more about the services we offer and how we can make a difference for your facility.