Relationship Management

In the Outsourced Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chain, the success of the extended enterprise is critically dependent on the health of the relationships between the OEMs and their suppliers. TFI Analysts have been conducting Customer and Supplier Relationship Management programs for OEMs and EMS companies for 15 years. As objective, neutral third-parties, experienced TFI interviewers are in the best position to learn the ‘real story’ about the health of the relationship. Our experience also helps us offer concrete, actionable recommendations for clients on how to continuously improve communications, and align business processes to dramatically improve the performance and profitability of the entire extended network.

Customer Retention for Business Growth

This program is designed to offer client-specific, actionable insights and recommendations for improving customer retention. Although it is specifically designed for companies selling electronics manufacturing services, components, software and equipment, it is easily customizable to any industry. It is designed around a six step process:

  • TFI consulting team meets with executives to clarify company goals, establish success measures, and identify barriers to success.
  • TFI consultant develops a customized interview guide to be administered to a select group of key customers. During this phase, the consultant also interviews representatives from both lost and missed customers.
  • TFI industry-experienced analysts conduct telephone and in-person interviews using the customized interview guide. Typical interviews rate the client on 10 to 20 key determiners of customer satisfaction. This step also involves interviews with customers of major competitors regarding their satisfaction.
  • TFI consultant and analysts compile the data, analyze it, and develop actionable recommendations. The final report includes data on trends, benchmarks, step-by-step courses of action and comprehensive data gathered during the interview process.
  • TFI consultants meet with the leadership team to guide them through the process of implementing the recommendations and develop a specific implementation timetable.
  • TFI repeats the interview process regularly (usually quarterly) to monitor progress and results.

Supplier Relationship Excellence

Similar to the Customer Retention for Business Excellence program described above, the Supplier Relationship Excellence program uses extensive data gathering through interviews to determine the strength of a company’s suppliers. TFI clients are achieving the following benefits from participation in the Supplier Relationship Excellence program:

  • Stronger relationships with suppliers.
  • A greater sense of partnership.
  • tandardized policies and procedures that are more manageable across diverse business units.
  • Suppliers better understand their role and how to add value to the OEM.
  • Weaknesses are revealed and eliminated reducing waste and decreasing cost.
  • Supplier scorecards become more useful and meaningful.
  • Supplier better anticipate the OEM’s future needs.

TFI consultants make extensive use of the Company’s database to measure and improve the effectiveness of OEM/supplier relationships.

Optimizing Supplier-Customer Relationships Workshops

  • Finding and Keeping OEM Customers, for the next 10 years of electronics manufacturing and design services
    This 3-hour workshop escorts marketing and sales executives at EMS, ODM, component, and software suppliers into the real-world thinking and perspectives of today's OEM customers: when and why do they buy, what regions they prefer, selection criteria, and what deters them from entering into a new supplier relationship. Benefit from TFI's nearly 2.5 decades of expertise in electronics-manufacturing strategy, and get prepared for the next 10 years' of buying behavior by OEM customers, some aspects of which are hardly recognizable from historical practices. With the workshop comes 10 introductions to OEM prospective customers uniquely matched to the client by TFI analysts.
  • Logistics and Fulfillment: Leading Practices for Efficiency and Resource Savings
    TFI supply-chain, logistics, and fulfillment consultants will convey to your operating executives and teams proven paths to profitable new choices for matching demand with production and moving product. Do you know that even some well-respected electronics companies have recently discovered that some of their products circle the globe as many as 6 times? Have you thought about your processes in this light? Learn how to remove wasted effort, motion, and processes in getting the right product to the right customer in the fastest and least-costly way.