What to do When There are no Sprinkles on the Cupcakes

"How do you make sure that the products you receive from your vendor are up to your standards? A few deliveries came in over the past few weeks from my produce supplier and they were not very good?  What should I do?"

The email came from an owner in southern New Jersey who has been using the same vendor for years. One procedure that everyone should follow is to immediately check the product before the delivery slip is signed and the product accepted. Often difficult to do for many restaurant owners as the tasks at hand have priority and we all know checking produce and other products can wait.  It is vital to inspect products for quality and standards as even the best vendors stumble on occasion.

Here are two examples of how two high-end vendors deal with customer problems and review their quality control standards.

Della Fattoria, an upscale bakery specializing in breads, pastry and cakes in Petaluma, California has a reputation for being independent and deciding who stays or goes on their customer list. Recently, the bakery had an order from Napa valley icon, Dean and DeLuca. The gourmet grocery chain has one of the most prestigious pastry counters in northern California and is considered to be a gold star on the forehead of any vendor. Once a product sits on their shelves, the vendor usually experiences considerable volume increase.  The impact is said to be as influential as Oprah's book club. A recent delivery of Della Fattoria mini cupcakes, each packing a wholesale price of $.75, was delivered to D&D missing the mini sprinkles on the top of each frosted delight. The order had somehow gotten past the Della Fattoria quality control department and appeared in Napa sans sprinkles. When the buyer from D&D called the bakery to complain and asked for a credit, the bakery decided to cease doing business the upscale gourmet grocer. Definitely one of the benefits of being a small artisan purveyor.

In another, separate incident, a product from Bouchon, Thomas Keller's bakery gem in Yountville, California was delivered and didn't pass the quality control inspection of Dean and DeLuca. After a phone call to Bouchon informing them of the problem, four employees including a manager and a quality control person were at D&D researching the problem and offering solutions on how to solve it.

Two problems with two different approaches to consistent quality control, one works for the restaurant owner, the other only works for the vendor.

The complexities of being a vendor servicing the restaurant business are unimaginable unless you have actually sold something to a restaurateur. Dealing with quality control standards, exceptional customer service and the art and diplomacy of finances are enough to make any vendor receive awards for business person of the year.  Yet, vendors have to realize that their bread and butter lie in the hands of the customer.

Chefs, buyers and managers need to get to know their vendors in an attempt to work out a fair relationship that will not end when one party complains about the other. Finding out from the vendor if they can handle the increased volume, if they can deal with critics, and if they want to develop a long term relationship, are very important factors when choosing a vendor. If your vendor doesn't want to have this discussion before you begin your relationship, it's probably time to go elsewhere. And, once the relationship begins, check everything the moment it hits your floo. Its always easier to get satisfaction from a vendor when the driver is waiting for a signature on the delivery slip.

Tomorrow: Ten tips for choosing the right vendor.