Put Your Trust in Someone You Can Count On

Although the key criteria when selecting an electronic security partner are often technology and price, Bill Hobbs, global vice president at 3xLOGIC, believes that being able to trust a chosen supplier is just as important.

Competition within the electronic security manufacturing sector remains fierce, while installers and integrators are keen to increase margins wherever possible. Not surprisingly, when it comes to selecting a security partner, the latter will often focus on what a manufacturer can offer in terms of technological innovation at the best price. Aligning with a manufacturer is no small undertaking though and often means investing in training and skills development, products, and the tools and equipment needed to install them. This means that manufacturer support should be provided throughout the process and beyond – something that isn’t always the case.

Return on Investment

Any successful partnership should be a two-way street and it is therefore vital to strengthen business relationships through trust. Historically, organizations have focused on building trust internally and with end users, but companies now need to extend these efforts externally – to partners, stakeholders, suppliers and through all tiers of the supply chain.

Organizations that can work together are more likely to succeed in building a sustainable supply chain. The first step to nurturing an effective business relationship based on trust is by establishing and maintaining a connection. There should also be regular contact and a proactive approach that enables customers to ask their chosen supplier for impartial advice and information on how to maximize the value of the products they install, which will help them to grow their businesses.

Supply and Demand

Strengthening buyer-supplier relationships through trust helps each party communicate honestly and transparently, something that is increasingly important in light of global supply chain issues. Some manufacturers are quoting extended lead times, and this is causing problems for installers and their customers and leading to projects being delayed until specific components can be delivered.

One of the biggest challenges surrounds convincing customers that this is a genuine problem that, for the short-term, they have to accept and plan around. This is proving easier said than done, but as supply chains look to become more effective, moving beyond what used to be a transactional relationship into a trusted partnership will help navigate these choppy waters and avoid an adversarial approach through clear communication.

Drilling Down

Although National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) compliance has been hitting the headlines, it feeds into the wider issue about how and where products are manufactured. The supply chain struggles brought on by the COVID Pandemic have shone a spotlight on the question of where products are sourced and how reliable those sources truly are. Concerns about raw material availability have been exacerbated by the lack of information coming from offshore manufacturers. Often these suppliers have “de-committed” to supplies shortly before shipments were scheduled, which lead to shifting delivery dates and frustration for the dealer and end-user. Building and maintaining a solid foundation of communication between manufacturer and buyer can go a long way towards keeping the material flow in place and ensuring that all stakeholders understand what to expect.

Cybersecurity and data protection also represent a significant challenge and customers need to know that a manufacturer has policies and procedures in place to protect their information. Avoiding the possibility of information being compromised requires strategic planning, which is why organisations should configure a corporate data protection policy to set out how they protect personal information. It is a set of principles, rules and guidelines that informs how ongoing compliance with data protection laws will be achieved and how data is consumed, managed and stored. This should then be communicated, where appropriate, to customers.

A Solid Bond

For any business relationship to reach its full potential, particularly in these uncertain times, there must be a high level of trust between all parties. This has to be earned though and manufacturers that fail to recognise this and don’t interact with their customers will struggle to build mutual respect, support and loyalty.