How do I handle a vendor who keeps letting me down?

By Ask a Shop OwnerUpdated Operations

Short answer

Tell them once, in writing, with a deadline. Start sourcing a backup the same day. Fire them after the next miss.

The conversation

'We've had X issues in the last 90 days. Here's what we need going forward and the deadline. If it doesn't change by [date], we'll have to move our business.' Calm, written, dated.

Always have a backup

Single-vendor anything is a risk. Even if the primary is great today, line up a second supplier you can flip to in a week. The mere existence makes the first one care more.

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