Distributors perform a similar service by acting as intermediaries for manufacturers' personnel. Gone are the days when distributors could maintain a manufacturer's business by simply providing quality forms, Bradburn says. They're just a necessary evil. What you need to do is connect with someone. Become an ally with the person who actually uses the products, such as a production manager.
Most manufacturing plants have someone there who is pretty proud of what they're doing.
They will pull you into the system. Bradburn lets these employees educate him about manufacturing operations, and he asks where processes can be improved. Then, he approaches the purchasing department and serves as a bridge between the two. If you can get results, you've saved both departments time and improved an operational process. Jonathan Rollins is managing editor of FORM Magazine.