In a long term export strategy, exporters have goodwill to the health and performance of their vendors / suppliers, expecting the vendors to continuously deliver quality products smoothly. Smart importers take proactive approach to manage their vendors' information as part of their supply chain security program.

We effectively manage four types of customer's information that are critical to a successful long term sourcing business:

• Operation related data - including organizational structure, business departments, personnels, contact info, facility locations
• Vendor's compliance info - standard operating procedures, product specifications, quality assurance program, documentation, and customs compliance
• Vendor's business model - industry, customers and suppliers, products / services, raw materials, production, in-house processes / parts, contracted processes / parts
• Vendor's business health and environment - financial strength, organization, merge, acquisition, regional commercial and political environment.

Often the time, importers issue purchase orders to vendors in the US, which purchase the products from factories in China. If the products are drop shipped directly to importers' facilities, the vendor may not have good supply chain visibility and control. It could be risky that the importer may rest their supply chain strength on potential weak link. In such situation, it is even more important that importers take initiative to effectively manage their vendor information.