18 ways to work with suppliers
Focus on client needs, listen to their pain points, and showcase what services can support these challenges
18 ways to work with suppliers
The wellbeing and rewards solutions market is now worth billions and employers are overwhelmed by the number of apps, EAPs, life insurance, healthcare and therapy providers looking to sell to them. In our 'Insights into the supplier/buyer relationship' webinar, Zoe Sinclair, co-founder of This Can Happen, was in conversation with three major wellbeing leaders to hear what they are seeking from providers, how they choose them, the data they require and the relationships they seek. Our special guests were Dhavani Bishop - Head of Group Colleague Health & Wellbeing at Tesco, Toni Graves – Global Head of Reward and Wellbeing at Allen & Overy, and Bev Taylor – Head of People Ogilvy Health/Senior People Partner at Ogilvy UK.
From suppliers and clients combined, here's 18 ways to best work with suppliers:
Listen
1. Listen to and understand their specific needs and requirements
2. Engage in listening sessions to deeply understand their business and needs
3. Understanding the needs from both sides
4. Know your client more than the client knows themself
Be transparent
5. Open communication, trials and clear structured pricing
6. Be clear on what you can deliverables and don't over promise
7. Place openness at the heart of the relationship
8. Manage expectations and responsiveness
9. Transparency with service and clear T&Cs
10. Clear and relevant data sharing to measure effectiveness
Work collaboratively
11. Focus on clients needs, listen to their pain points, and showcase what services can support these challenges
12. All solutions must be co-created in partnership
13. Work collaboratively and co-create together
14. Tailor your support
15. Work in an agile way and move with the client needs
Strong management
16. Simplicity: make it easy to book an initial consultation to discuss the mutual benefits for both supplier and client
17. Use their needs and goals to define how you can support them
18. Nurture strong relationships
Our proud partners
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman is a global law firm formed from the merger of Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling. Committed to building a culture of openness and support, A&O Shearman works with us to champion mental wellbeing across the legal sector and beyond.
Beyond
Beyond is a mental health charity which was formed in 2018 by award winning campaigner Jonny Benjamin MBE. It was created to address the growing need for mental health support for young people. 75% of mental health issues begin in adolescence and yet, according to the NHS, three-quarters of young people who experience mental illness are not receiving treatment. Beyond has so far given out various grants to organisations across the UK who support vulnerable youngsters. The charity is currently developing a nationwide mental health festival for schools called Now and Beyond which will take place in February 2021.
GSK
GSK is a fully focused biopharma company. They prioritise innovation in vaccines andspecialty medicines, maximising the increasing opportunities to prevent and treat disease. At the heart of this is their R&D focus on the science of the immune system, human genetics and advanced technologies, and their world-leading capabilities in vaccines and medicines development. GSK is focusing on four therapeutic areas: infectious diseases, HIV, oncology, and immunology.
Haleon
Haleon Plc is a British multinational consumer healthcare company and the largest consumer healthcare business in the world. They are 100% focussed on everyday health with theirleading brands being built on science, innovation and human understanding. Haleion exists to deliver better everyday health with humanity.
Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick is a global marketing communications company. They work at the intersection of technology, society, policy and media, adding value to culture — to shape and re-shape it. They do it all – from creative concepting to content development and production, creative technology and user experience design. Their team develop and execute ideas that earn attention and drive business impact.
