Everyday Run State – ConnectWise Edition

One of the most overlooked areas I see for my clients?
Vendor relationships.

Too often, teams default to whoever is cheapest—or worse, whoever responds first. But if you want long-term margin, consistency, and operational sanity, it's worth asking:

Why Scorecarding Matters

Scorecarding your vendors isn’t just a big-business activity. Even small MSPs or integrators can benefit from tracking a few simple metrics to figure out who your real partners are.

Here’s what a basic vendor scorecard might include:

• ✅ On-Time Delivery – Are they consistent or constantly causing scramble mode?

• 🛒 Product Availability – Can they consistently fulfill your SKUs?

• 💬 Communication – Do they respond quickly and clearly?

• 💸 Total Landed Cost – Not just unit price. Are you factoring in shipping, duties, or last-minute expediting?

• 📦 Returns/Warranty Handling – How do they support you when things go sideways?

Why It’s More Than Just Price

That part cost may look great in the PO, but what about:

• The extra $60 shipping to get it on time?

• The 30 minutes your tech spent tracking it down?

• The tax discrepancies that mess up your AP workflow?

Lowest cost ≠ best value.
Total landed cost is what really matters—and your ConnectWise setup can help you track and report on it, if it’s structured well.

This Week's Process Tip

Business:
Pick your top 5 vendors and score them across a few categories—delivery, support, communication, and overall experience.
Bonus: compare their pricing, including shipping/tax handling, over the last 6 months. Need help? Check out my YouTube Video.

Personal:
Doesn’t it feel better to buy from a local business? It’s not just about convenience. You keep ordering from that small brand or local biz because the experience is consistent, they treat you like a human, and they make things right when something goes wrong.

💡 Real-Client Insight:
Vendor relationships can go beyond just volume discounts and fast shipping.

One of my clients recently identified a top-performing vendor and decided to take things a step further. They worked out an agreement where the vendor stores pre-purchased inventory on their behalf. My client can draw from that stock as needed—like a just-in-time supply model.

This setup freed up valuable warehouse space, reduced on-hand inventory, and still ensured product availability for upcoming jobs.

💡 How we handled it in ConnectWise:
We created a separate “Vendor-Held” warehouse in their ConnectWise system to track the pre-purchased items. This keeps inventory visible and reportable— but lets the accountants know where it’s physically located.

If you’re not tracking vendor performance, you’re flying blind.
Start simple. Start small. But start.