Question What benefits are there to partnering with other small businesses?

[Annette Asberg]

Hi
I saw in a mail that the above question was mentioned
"What benefits are there to partnering with other small businesses?" and the organization answered very weirdly I think. I was very interested in the answer because we are thinking of the same thing.
What would you answer?
I will post the answer from the organization if anyone is interested, but I am really interested in your personal opinion first.

 

[FireSprint.com]

Is there some context here?

As a trade printer, we partner with all of our customers, most of whom are small businesses. An outsource or overrun partner.

We also work with many small business vendors to get the supplies and services we need to keep things running.

Is this what you mean?

 

[James Burke]

I would never partner with another company. Collaboration, on the other hand, is a different story.


JB

 

[rjssigns]

I would never partner with another company. Collaboration, on the other hand, is a different story.


JB

This^^^

I no longer cut vinyl in house. It comes from a place that does nothing but cut vinyl. I do all of their digital prints and it works great for all involved. I no longer stock 80 different colors and they don't have to buy print equipment and hire a person to run it.

 

[Billct2]

Yep, it can be great to have a good relationship with other small shops, as long as you don't step on each others toes.

 

[James Burke]

I would never partner with another company. Collaboration, on the other hand, is a different story. JB

Further clarification: While collaborating on a project with another company for a third party, I retain my own autonomy when working with said company. I stick to my own policies, send my own invoices and have clear, written documentation concerning our role and responsibilities in the project AND what we expect from the third party, and our collaborator.


JB

 

[Stacey K]

I wouldn't partner but collaborate. I'm careful about it though. Example...there's a gal who does apparel only, screen printing, htv, embroidery. I don't do embroidery. If a random person walks in looking for just embroidery, I will send them directly to her. However, if I have a good customer whom I have screen printed/htv and then is looking for some embroidered hats or the such, I play middle man, I do not send the customer there. The reason I don't is because she once said to me, "Isn't it a pain to be the middle man? Why don't you just send all your customers directly to me so I can help them?". Why? Because customers would rather deal with one shop, not two and the chances of losing that customer are high. She has the artwork, she has the means do everything for the customer, why would they bother coming back to me? If she has someone walk in asking if she does banners, she sends them my way directly. If she has a customer whom she does apparel for, she orders them directly from me herself. A larger shop in the area sends some of their smaller work my way and I send anyone looking for wraps their way. There's another sign shop that I've called twice for some printing and they don't answer phone so I don't bother with them anymore.

 

[Andy D]

I wouldn't partner but collaborate. I'm careful about it though. Example...there's a gal who does apparel only, screen printing, htv, embroidery. I don't do embroidery. If a random person walks in looking for just embroidery, I will send them directly to her. However, if I have a good customer whom I have screen printed/htv and then is looking for some embroidered hats or the such, I play middle man, I do not send the customer there. The reason I don't is because she once said to me, "Isn't it a pain to be the middle man? Why don't you just send all your customers directly to me so I can help them?". Why? Because customers would rather deal with one shop, not two and the chances of losing that customer are high. She has the artwork, she has the means do everything for the customer, why would they bother coming back to me? If she has someone walk in asking if she does banners, she sends them my way directly. If she has a customer whom she does apparel for, she orders them directly from me herself. A larger shop in the area sends some of their smaller work my way and I send anyone looking for wraps their way. There's another sign shop that I've called twice for some printing and they don't answer phone so I don't bother with them anymore.

Same, we have it set as offering each other wholesale prices, due to the fact of not having to deal directly with the customer and we both provide print ready art.
As much as we can, we carry credit back and forth & just trade-out, it works pretty well.