BUS606: Operations and Supply Chain Management

Always act in a professional manner in dealing with suppliers. Your actions affect both your reputation and the reputation of your facility. Be available to talk to salespeople at scheduled times; don't discuss internal problems with salespeople; don't gossip about other salespeople; and don't discuss price quotations given by competitors. Use the time spent with salespeople wisely; discuss market conditions, get price quotations, and learn about new products. Preparing the order while the salesperson waits in your office is discourteous and wastes his or her time. You should never give a salesperson responsibility for determining your order size. The food buyer has responsibility for estimating order sizes based on purchasing guidelines. A supplier will lose respect for the disorganized buyer who allows a salesperson to make out the order (who may take advantage of the situation by overstocking the inventory). Be sure you are aware of any rules and regulations governing purchasing for your foodservice operation.