---
title: "Talking to vendors: 10 quick tips for getting it right"
description: Talking to vendors and suppliers is an important part of your business strategy. Learn how to communicate well with the goal of growing your business.
image: https://www.turbinehq.com/hubfs/Turbine-Talking%20to%20vendors-%2010%20quick%20tips%20for%20getting%20it%20right-01.png
---
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# Talking to vendors: 10 quick tips for getting it right
[By Jess Lawrence](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/author/jess-lawrence)
Published 30-Oct-2018 07:30:00 Updated September 23 2024
When you take on the role of the customer, it’s sometimes easy to forget just how important the relationship is between your company and its [vendors and suppliers](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/guide-to-purchase-orders). Like any relationship, communication is the key to success. Talking to vendors in the right way can change the quality of that relationship, so keep the following in mind.
## 1. Be informed
Information is the key to negotiating discounts, discussing concerns or knowing what questions to ask. When talking to a vendor, you need to know where your company stands and as much information as possible about the product or service your vendor has.
## 2. Straight talk
Take the lead on setting the tone for the relationship. Always remember that you are talking to a person and each interaction will affect future conversations. Filter out jargon, be polite and be honest.
## 3. Ask questions
At the same time, acknowledge the expertise of your vendors. If you're informed about what you need, you can [ask for information](https://www.inc.com/vanessa-merit-nornberg/growth-strategies-vendor-tips.html) on how their company can fill that need.
## 4. Give your vendor time to answer
When you have a question they weren't ready for, you want to hear ‘I don’t know, but I’ll find out.’ To do your job well, you need accurate information, so don't pressure your vendors to make something up on the spot.
## 5. Broach the money subject
Be open with your vendors about when you pay bills, how you pay bills and why an invoice is overdue if it is. One of the most touchy subjects can be money, so make sure to broach the subject early.
[](https://www.turbinehq.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLJDEdBo9WNPYU2sfm1SJkYxxyI8Qqd5aSEmYSgjsUaAFlXPGdQkb1DwdpYOeVRBsuoiLUGlZME0HS%2F6Rqu0i9%2B5889uoz3eJwWFoU%2FkT9jXWmolO%2FvHNKow98%2FRPu%2Fzr9FlAgyJgitHHY%2FxIQ3hgOgQ0fecqEmDB9rdeb8VpYLg07%2BxG5UvjLp9fB2V%2Brd1ra1Kowc9&webInteractiveContentId=179208861830&portalId=2183131)
## 6. Set clear expectations
It’s hard to please someone when you don't know what they want. Help your vendors serve you better by making [your expectations](https://www.fiixsoftware.com/blog/7-secrets-negotiating-deals/) known.
## 7. Address issues
Depending on the size of your vendor’s business, they may not have been informed that something went wrong. If you are not satisfied with how an order was handled or the quality of product in a particular shipment, [a good vendor wants to know about it](https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/66028).
## 8. Don’t ask for the impossible
If your vendor typically has a lead time of 7-10 days on your orders, [don’t act surprised](https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/205868) when they can't complete the same order in two days. Ask for the impossible too often and you’ll find yourself leaving a lot of voicemails.
## 9. Give recognition
When talking to vendors, tell them when their product or services led to a success and be specific about what they do well. This kind of affirmation will help them know how to continue to best serve you.
## 10. Return calls and emails
Make sure you respond to calls and emails from your vendor in a timely manner. If you answer them right away, they will be more likely to show the same courtesy to you.
## The business sense in talking to vendors
Building strong relationships in business are paramount to success and talking to vendors in the right way will help strengthen that connection. Understand that your relationship with your vendors [goes both ways](https://www.asaecenter.org/resources). You as a customer support their company and they, as your supplier, contribute to the success of yours.
Changing the way that you communicate with vendors creates a positive business relationship which can build your network and lead to more opportunities.
[](https://www.turbinehq.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLJDEdBo9WNPYU2sfm1SJkYxxyI8Qqd5aSEmYSgjsUaAFlXPGdQkb1DwdpYOeVRBsuoiLUGlZME0HS%2F6Rqu0i9%2B5889uoz3eJwWFoU%2FkT9jXWmolO%2FvHNKow98%2FRPu%2Fzr9FlAgyJgitHHY%2FxIQ3hgOgQ0fecqEmDB9rdeb8VpYLg07%2BxG5UvjLp9fB2V%2Brd1ra1Kowc9&webInteractiveContentId=179208861830&portalId=2183131)
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## Related articles
[Delegation](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/topic/delegation) [small business owners](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/topic/small-business-owners) [Small business](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/topic/small-business)
### [How small business owners can delegate effectively](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/small-business-owners-delegate-effectively)
‘When you delegate work to a member of the team, your job is to clearly frame success and describe objectives.’ – Steven Sinofsky, former...
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[Business](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/topic/business) [Entrepreneurship](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/topic/entrepreneurship) [events](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/topic/events)
### [10 ways to find small business networking events](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/find-networking-events)
As a small business owner, contacts are invaluable. Finding events that will expand your network can, however, be hard if you don’t know...
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[expenses](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/topic/expenses) [Purchase Orders](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/topic/purchase-orders) [Paperfree](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/topic/paperfree)
### [5 Easy Ways to Cut Small Business Purchasing Costs](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/cut-small-business-purchasing-costs)
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