Ask these seven questions before the first delivery.

The start of a working relationship is the only moment when every question is still cheap. Later, the same questions get asked in a hurry, usually on a Friday afternoon.

Seven questions

1. Product and specification

What exactly am I getting? Ask for a written specification of the product you'll be ordering, not a general description of the category.

2. Packaging

How is the product packaged, what's the unit size, and does the packaging suit your space and your rhythm of work.

3. Documentation and traceability

What documents come with the goods and how is the product labelled. If something's unclear, that's a question to ask, not a guess to make.

4. Ordering

Which channel is used to order, by when, and who confirms the order. A confirmed order is a document; a verbal order is a memory.

5. Delivery

When do the goods arrive, who takes receipt on your side, and what happens if no one is there to receive them.

6. Agreement on changes

What applies if the quantity changes, if a product is temporarily unavailable, or if a substitute is proposed. The rule should be that you confirm any substitute.

7. Complaints

Who is notified of a discrepancy, within what timeframe, and what needs to be attached. An agreed procedure is the difference between a resolved matter and lengthy correspondence.

Where to find product information

One rule applies to storage, composition and allergen information: check the declaration and the confirmed specification of the specific product. General tables and remembered rules don't replace this, because products differ from one another.

Before ordering, ask for the current version of the specification. If the information on the documents and the packaging differs, clear up the discrepancy with the supplier. Pass the instructions on to colleagues who receive and handle the goods as well.

Seven questions, a few minutes of conversation. Considerably cheaper than one chaotic service.