Silence is a signature

Your supplier's account manager knows your renewal date. The question worth asking is whether anyone inside your business does.

By Steve 5 min read
Abstract bridge artwork for Silence is a signature

Most businesses negotiate a supplier contract properly exactly once: at the start. Someone runs a comparison, pushes on price, wins a concession or two, signs. From that point on, the contract renegotiates itself every twelve months, and it does so on terms that were agreed when the buyer had leverage and the supplier had none. The asymmetry reverses quietly, and by the third or fourth renewal the price has drifted somewhere nobody would have accepted had they been asked directly. This is not usually a story about bad suppliers. It…

Keep reading for free

Create an account to read the rest.

The whole library is free. No card, no subscription, no trial that quietly ends. An account simply lets us know who we are writing for, and opens every article from here on.

  • Every article, in full, at no cost
  • New articles published every weekday
  • Takes about twenty seconds
Create a free account I already have one

Free means free. We will not charge you for the library, and you can read as much of it as you like.

Important: General information only. Rialto Bridge articles describe patterns and considerations that may apply to a business; they are not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice, and they take no account of your particular circumstances. Consider your own situation and seek advice from a qualified professional before acting.

More on Operations

Scroll to Top