Every successful business needs reliable suppliers.

Without them, your business would quickly grind to a halt even if you had a book full of customer jobs.

There is more to reliability than being able to deliver the materials you've asked for on time.

The supplier also needs to maintain a consistent quality in the materials it provides, as well as prices that are competitive and stable over time.

Most kitchen and bathroom businesses have several main suppliers and a range of back-up suppliers.

There are advantages in showing loyalty to your main suppliers, such as receiving good credit terms and discounted prices.

But it's essential to have alternative suppliers on hand, just in case your main stockist isn't able to deliver a particular product when you need it.

Below are some of the factors you should consider when you're building up your group of suppliers:

• Do the main suppliers have strong links with the manufacturers (or are they the manufacturers of the products themselves)?
  
  
• Do they keep large stock holdings, with materials available at short notice?
  
  
• Do the brand names have a good reputation for quality?
  
  
• Are the prices competitive, and are you given plenty of notice before a price rise?
  
  
• Do the prices include delivery charges and do they apply to different order volumes?
  
  
• Are the staff helpful if there is a problem, and do they offer refunds or credit for returned stock?
  
  
• Do you have at least one back-up supplier for each material or product you need?