✅ The operations checklist you didn’t know you needed

Greetings Vendorville 👋,

Welcome to the world of retail, where we're always leveraging synergies, thinking outside the box, and circling back to move the needle on actionable insights.

But let's be real—between all the buzzwords, what work actually needs to get done? That's where our Supplier Maintenance Checklist comes in. We've broken down practical, actionable tasks designed to help you boost efficiency, stay compliant, and protect your revenue.

Let’s Drill Down 🔎

By developing a cadence of tasks— weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly—you can set up your company for long-term success and fewer surprises. Here are a few examples of areas that need regular attention:

💰 Deductions Tasks

Check deductions/scorecards
Review gross revenue and deduction amounts by retailer to track the percentage of deductions impacting the business
Identify high-value claims with missing documentation and coordinate with warehouses or carriers to obtain the necessary records
Digitize all potential proof documentation for disputes and ensure it is searchable

Related Resource: What Is Deductions Management?

📑 Compliance Tasks

Review retailer(s) compliance guides to ensure all areas are up to date
Check labels on items being sent to your retailer(s) to ensure compliance with specifications (inner and outer labeling)
Evaluate your contracts with retailer(s) for any non-compliance and compile documentation for renegotiation

Related Resource: How to Dispute OTIF and SQEP Fines

🚛 Logistics Tasks

Review EDI set up
Double-check retailer(s) routing guides to ensure compliance with retailer standards
Revisit agreements with third-party logistics providers to ensure they are following your standards
Identify carrier success/opportunities and negotiate rates based on fines/fees incurred over the past year

Related Resource: EDI Codes and Processes Explained

That can be a lot to remember! This checklist makes it simple to stay on top of key tasks, avoid costly mistakes, and keep your supplier operations running smoothly. ✅

Retailer News 🗞️

Supply Chain Dive

McCormick weighs price hikes to tackle tariff impacts
“The seasonings and condiments maker plans to adjust its prices and leverage cost savings to mitigate trade dispute impacts.”

Supply Chain Dive
UPS to close 2 Kansas facilities as it scrutinizes network footprint
“The delivery giant is “reassessing” some of its U.S. operations, which will result in the locations shuttering later this year.”

SupplierWiki

How Nordstrom's RFID Strategy Impacts Suppliers
“By requiring RFID ticketing on merchandise, the retailer can maintain real-time visibility into stock levels, streamline replenishment, and, ideally, improve total sales.”

⭐ Rick’s Tips ⭐

“Recovering revenue from deductions is no easy feat. This guide to building a revenue recovery team will help you define key roles, craft a winning strategy, and assemble a top-tier team.”

Let's Circle Back

Corporate jargon isn't all bad. Sometimes, saying "no" is hard—like, really hard. But for the sake of your mental health, it's important to have boundaries. So, we asked ChatGPT for some corporate-friendly ways to say no, and here’s what it came up with:

🚫“I'm going to have to re-prioritize this for the time being.”

🚫 “Let's table this conversation for a later time.”

🚫 “I'm currently out of bandwidth for that.”

🚫 “Unfortunately, that's not on my radar at the moment.”

🚫 “I'll need to pass the baton on this one.”

🚫 “Let's put a pin in that for now.”

If you try one of these out, we hope it helps you streamline your response and maintain alignment with your priorities. 😉

With ♥️,
SupplierWiki