According to a report, 25% of newlyweds met via a blind date1. As successful as this risky proposition appears to be, it’s not recommended for business deals. In the dating world, the consequences for an unsuccessful match are low, and if it’s a train wreck you’ve always got a good story to tell. However, humorous anecdotes tend to lose their appeal when substantial amounts of money, time and product are on the line. Potential business partners must be vetted properly before tying the knot.
The importance of engaging in a comprehensive due diligence process when entering into a business contract or long-term agreement cannot be understated. Although the process is frequently tedious, labor intensive, and costly it is necessary to avoid surprises after a deal is struck. An all-encompassing procedure aids in determining the viability of a deal, negotiating terms and perhaps most importantly sustained success.
Sparton’s white paper Should YOU Manufacture Your Product? 6 Key Factors in the Make vs. Buy Decision examines the key questions one should ask a potential contract manufacturing partner.
Samples of these include:
- Do you have a best-in-class production system in place?
- Do you have quality management systems in place?
- What’s your inventory management process?
The document offers a complete list of questions along with details that explain why these questions are important. It also provides an analysis for evaluating the responses that you will potentially receive.
Once you’ve gotten satisfactory answers to these question and you’ve entered into a partnership it’s vital that the due diligence process doesn’t stop there. According to the Pharmaceutical Compliance Monitor “after you select a contract manufacturer you should be proactive in conducting ongoing assessments of manufacturing quality. This includes initial oversight of manufacturing processes, frequent site visits and reviews of quality test data and quality records. All this is required to assure your products are manufactured to your expectations.”
Does your organization have a well-defined process for vetting potential suppliers? What types of questions are crucial in your company’s procedures? Do you have a story of improperly scrutinizing a vendor before signing a contract? Leave them in the comment section below.
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Should YOU Manufacture Your Product? 6 Key Factors in the Make vs. Buy Decision
1 Cummings, Faith. “You’ll Never Guess How Many Married Couples Actually Met on a Blind Date.” Brides.com. October 16, 2014.
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