What Makes a Reliable and Trustworthy Sourcing Agent?

Sellers, these days, are scared to work with sourcing companies as they fear being scammed. But, the advantages of working with procurement or sourcing agents are unmatched enough to prove their worth. However, amid a myriad of options, it is a challenging fact to understand if a procurement consultant is honest or not. But, there are some factors that you can consider before judging a sourcing expert. Here are some of the characteristics that make a reliable and dependable sourcing expert. Check them out below.

Business License

An honest procurement expert has an official license of business. You would never want to hire an unlicensed contractor for home renovation or entrust your capital to a banker without an official work permit.  Sourcing companies, too, fall under this category. License and permit are two main things that an experienced sourcing expert should possess.

Experience & Specialization

Another significant quality factor signifies the experience the procurement agent possesses. Did they presently start the work two weeks before and possess no concept of what they are doing? Have they been in the procurement market for ages and now gained expertise? This is necessary because contrarily, they would not understand which suppliers are genuine and which are corrupt. In the end, that is the reason why you choose them. Their specialization likewise plays an influential role. If you sell consumer goods and the procurement consultants only possess expertise with garments suppliers, they are most probably not the appropriate companion for you.

Language

Language is one of the most important media between you and the supplier. Therefore, it is essential to know both the languages ( your language and the supplier’s).

Testimonials

Another thing that defines a good sourcing professional is the client testimonials they get. Higher levels of experience at the end of the agents determine the markets they have served. Moreover, if the sourcing agents do their work properly, customers will be extremely content with their behavior and way of managing. A good sourcing agency can, accordingly, present many testimonials and referrals.

Location & Flexibility

Geographical location likewise plays an essential role. For instance, if you need to buy a stock from Shenzhen, your procurement business should additionally be established there. Some procurement agents are positioned farther away (approximately 500km) and endeavor to travel to the location for you. Nonetheless, this can exceed your overall budget. The more often you need the product sourcing assistant to provide you with updates on your stock, the more frequently you will need to repay these extra driving charges. Therefore your procurement expert should be ideally adjacent to the supplier.

Transparency

Transparency is an absolute necessity for all procurement consultants. A great sourcing assistant tells you beforehand specifically what prices you may incur, which charges could occur suddenly and precisely how these expenses are constituted. Moreover, they should conform to visit the location with you if you need to. Transparency about the supply chain is important.

These are some of the key factors that make a good sourcing agent. If you are in this field, carrying out business, or thinking about starting your business, check out the points mentioned above.