4 Things to Guide You When Choosing a New Tent Supplier

Everyone wants to get the best possible prices from their suppliers. Excessively prioritizing price and forgetting other factors, though, could lead to delays and other expensive business problems. This truism applies to finding a new tent vendor as much as meeting any other business need. Whether you’re in hospitality or event planning, or need a tent for a fair or carnival, here are four important considerations when selecting a supplier:

#1 – Price

The price you want to look for in a business supplier is not necessarily the lowest one you can find. As Jay Steinfeld explained in CBS News, the relationship is bound to have difficulties if the supplier isn’t making a fair margin; plus, extremely low prices may lead to bankruptcy (see #2).

#2 – Stability

It helps to work with a supplier that has an extensive history and broad experience. The stability of the business is particularly critical in situations that involve lengthy agreements.

Be careful as you vet suppliers. You want them to have an impeccable credit history, since that’s one way to gauge financial stability, advised Business Queensland. Also, you can check with current clients of the business and note whether they are pleased or displeased.

#3 – Service

The service of suppliers is key not just for yourself but also for your customers. Aspects of the supplier’s service – such as delayed orders and speed of issue resolution – could affect how customers perceive your business. Steinfeld’s business thoroughly studied its suppliers to determine how their behavior impacted the service of its clients. “We’ve been able to calculate direct correlations between our customer satisfaction scores and our supplier scores,” said Steinfeld.

#4 – Quality

Quality, in this context, is not just a “soft” notion of how well-made your tent is, but also looks at “hard” quality-control parameters: 1.) meeting of standards and specifications; 2.) proper packaging; 3.) accurate labeling; and 4.) inclusion of any pre-arranged marketing literature.

Other considerations for tent supplier selection

Beyond those four elements that you want in any business vendor, there are a few additional steps for choosing a new tent supplier that we recommend (as discussed in our article “Event Tent Buying Tips”):

• Check their online ratings.
• Verify that their products are “made in the USA.”
• Test their customer service team with a technical question.

Are you looking for a new tent supplier?

At Tent Renters Supply, we take into account the wants, needs, and budgets of each customer to match them with the right tent to suit their unique event. Learn more.