5 Laws to Follow When Choosing an Aircraft Component Repair Vendor

You call and no one responds. You email and no one reads it.

You state your urgency, but urgency isn't given.

Whether you're dealing with an aircraft component repair vendor or even the barber down the street, you want to be heard, understood. Am I right? Or have I fallen off somewhere?

With aircraft component repair vendors, there are 5 unwritten laws you must follow. Each of these laws must be followed, you can't pick one and not the other.

If you follow these laws, your life will seem easier, the relationships with your repair vendors will be strong and your bottom line will begin to rise.

So what are we waiting for?

Here are the 5 laws to follow with choosing an aircraft component repair vendor:

1) Communication

The law of communication allows both parties to be on the same page. Communication creates a win/win relationship. Do they communicate effectively?

2) Organization

The law of organization is how the relationship is molded. It's how you and your vendor understand one another. Are they organized?

3) History

The law of history gives you great insight on your repair management partners past. Where have they been, where are they going and how do you fit in the picture. Do they have a history?

4) Personality

The law of personality goes deep into the organization. Once you know their personality, you'll know their intentions. Do they have a personality?

5) Flexibility

The law of flexibility shows if thry're agile or motionless dictated by corporate red tape. Agile is always good.

These laws give you a deep understanding  of your aircraft component repair vendor and should be the backbone of your decision making process. They will guide you to make rational, calculated decisions to work with a vendor that understands and cares about your unique operation.

Have you missed the other 3 parts of this aircraft repair management series?

Series 1: Does Aircraft Component Repair Keep You Up At Night? Series 2: 7 Ways Repair Management Can Simplify Your Life Series 3: 12 Point Checklist To Reap The Benefits Of Understanding Your Aircraft Repair Management Partner

We would love to hear from you. Do you follow these laws? Either send us an email or respond in the comment section below.

11 Point Checklist To Reap The Benefits Of Understanding Your Aircraft Repair Management Partner

Do you feel beat up with the frequent stress of your aircraft component repair process?

I'm with you, but the good news is...

You've made it! You're on part 3 of our repair management series. If you've missed part 1 and 2, go take a look:

1: Does Aircraft Component Repair Keep You Up At Night?

2: 7 Ways Repair Management Can Simplify Your Life

Remove the complications for your component repair processes before it even starts and eliminate any probability of vendor carelessness. This is your goal, right?

It's not always easy, but it's imperative for a clean ride through the MRO world.

Always start out with the basics by knowing your vendor well and remove any problems before they even start. You'll spare yourself the trouble of finding out too late that your vendor might not have the capabilities you thought, or the personalities you would like to deal with. And this is all right, it just might not be the right fit for you.

This simple checklist can help you avoid committing to a repair management partner before you know them.

1) Ask them to tell you what they do over the phone

This step is REALLY easy, but it can tell you a lot about a person. If most of their conversation is about them and they sound like a used car dealer, that may be a red flag.

2) Ask them to explain their history

If they have no history, they may not have enough experience to handle your needs.

3) Tell them to describe their colleagues

If they can't talk about their colleagues, they may have internal conflict, which is a bad team environment.

4) Have them fill out a quality control audit

This will ensure that all the material you're sending will be accounted for and stored properly. If you don't have an audit for them to fill out, they should have a pre-made one.

5) Get to know your account manager through video chat

This will build a stronger relationship, and you will get to know them on a much deeper level. Trust isn't a commodity.

6) Have a brief conversation with an executive

If upper level management doesn't have time for a paying customer, you shouldn't have time for them either.

7) Have them send you a video of their warehouse

Since distances can be so vast between one another, this will ensure you're working with a clean facility that will ensure your material is taken care of.

8) Review their receiving / shipping checklist

This simple document will show you that your vendors double check what's incoming and outgoing, keeping quality consistent.

9) Take a look at their quality control manual

If they don't have one, enough said.

10) Call or text your account manager after hours

There doesn't need to be a reason for your call or text. By doing this you'll understand if they respond or answer after hours. This is for peace of mind above all else.

11) Visit their facility

If they welcome you with open arms, they're a relationship based organization.

This checklist is a resource for you to use to understand your aircraft repair management partner and to ensure your relationship will work. If it doesn't, thats fine but you'll be able to know this well before you start spending money. Use this checklist for piece of mind and to build a strong relationship with your partners.

Enjoy!

Did you try this checklist? Comment below and let us know how it helped you.

Your Aircraft Parts Supplier is a Robot

The New Year has arrived and everyone proclaims it's supposed to be a new you. You constantly hear about New Years resolutions, or the life altering changes you should be making. Personally, I think it's a joke.

Why do we wait for the beginning of the year to be better, faster, or stronger? Or more simply, why do we wait for a new year to make an effort to treat people like humans? Your aircraft parts supplier is renown for this.

Robots: The Aircraft Parts Supplier Dilemma

Why robots you ask? Because no human acts like the typical aircraft parts supplier.

Just recently we needed to send a flap actuator to an aircraft parts maintenance facility. Our repair manager called the shop to make sure their lead time was within our limits and that their capabilities were still current. The repair facility gave him all the information he needed so we shipped the part. The next day, the shop received the part and they notified him that they no longer have the equipment to test this type of part.

After making them aware of their mistake, their response was "Sorry for the inconvenience."

DUH!!!!

Of course this is an inconvenience. With a lack of incompetency on their part, we didn't even receive a human, natural apology, just a "sorry for the inconvenience."  I proceeded to write an email to their general manager, no response back.

Just as myself, I'm sure you deal with this all day long. But why must we subject ourselves to this torture?

Your Money & the 2013 Forecast

The following attributes will continue to plague 90% of the aircraft spares industry:

1) Incompetency: You will continue to see aircraft parts suppliers coming into the industry trying to "make it." They will do whatever is necessary, including falsifying records, charging low fees and then raising them (bait and switch), and saying they have capabilities for something but really don't. These companies take on whatever they can with no direct knowledge of what they're doing.

Tip: You need to be very wary of companies such as this. They can cost you more time and money and they're an absolute nightmare to deal with. A good rule of thumb is look for an aircraft parts supplier that's been in the industry for 20+ years. These companies have the right operational structure to make it through major economical events with vast experience backing them.

2) Care free attitudes: Frankly, 90% of aircraft parts suppliers don't care about you! Did I just say that? Sorry, but it's the truth. They only care about your money. It's sad, I know, but it's the inevitable truth of B2B transactions. If something goes wrong with your order, or you're not happy, its fine to them as long as they know you've committed to putting extra money in their bank.

Tip: This is unfortunate, but the way you can eliminate this is by dealing with aircraft parts suppliers who actually care. If they care about you, about your company and about your operations, your life will be much easier. If they act like they don't care…RUN.

3) Inhuman Behavior: Most of the people you deal with talk to you in a way they would never talk at home. They are robotic and an absolute bore to deal with. This behavior is more than likely a reflection on the entire organization. They say things like "sorry for the inconvenience" with no action plan to make things right. They have no emotion or sense of humor and they get though the day by doing the bare minimum, never trying to completely satisfy you.

Tip: Fire these vendors. You want a human behind the phone and / or computer. Real human interaction makes the job funner while ensuring your needs are meet. We are a social species and if someone is acting like a turkey, go elsewhere [Tweet This].

2013 is going to be a good year for the aviation industry, however keep in mind that 90% of all aircraft parts suppliers have no clue what they're doing and they have no desire to care about you as a human.

Have you ever had experiences with aircraft parts suppliers who acts like a robot? Tell us your story.

Fire Your Aircraft Parts Supplier [Infographic]

Introductory:

We've all experienced this madness and some aircraft parts suppliers just don't get it. Their brains have landed on the moon to never return. 

You and I can sit down and try to figure this out but we never will. Some people, some things and most organizations are still stuck with an old way of thinking. This can be okay in some situations, but not in an environment were the world changes everyday. Your individual needs are not universally the  same and aircraft parts suppliers must recognize this and be able to effectively communicate with you.

You are human, we are human, but sometimes I feel like I'm talking to someone from a different planet. Maybe the moon? This infographic shows the communication gaps between company and client and the reasons you should fire your aircraft parts supplier.

What are the customer service issues you experience with your aircraft parts supplier? Comment below.

7 Ways Active Listening Can Prevent Aircraft Parts Supplier Sabotage

Lets face it. Aircraft parts suppliers can be the WORST listeners. Yes, I said it! It's not that they don't care, they're just disengaged from reality. Or maybe they don't care. Could be both. You try to communicate with them, but every time it seems like nothing progresses, or it's the same old behaviors. The below picture is probably what they're doing on the other side of the phone right now.

This happens all the time, but there's no need for me to tell you this, I'm sure you experience this much more than I do.

But, you continue to try to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Here's how you can fix that...

Recognizing poor listening skills

Most of us have trouble actively listening. We have so many distractions and noises that pull us from our tasks.

My colleagues will come in my office and say something, I'll say uh-huh, or yea and completely miss the entire conversation. Does this sound familiar?

I've recognized this, as I'm sure you have, and try to focus on listening better.

The problem arises when your aircraft parts' supplier stops listening to what you have to say and gets distracted. This is the WORST time to not listen.

The reason this occurs is simple. They just don't care, or maybe they do, you just can't tell.

7 tips you can teach your aircraft parts supplier to actively listen

1. They must decide they want to listen - Listening can't start without them deciding they want to be present in the conversation. There's an age-old saying that we have two ears and one month, so we can listen twice as much. They must first commit to unselfishly wanting to listen to you.

2. Give 100% - If they're truly interested in your discussion they will be present for the entire time. They should push all other tasks aside and avoid multitasking. If they don't, they're not listening.

3. Listen 75%, Speak 25% - Once your aircraft parts' supplier begins talking more than you, it's a sales pitch. They should be able to listen to your concerns and instructions and only speak 25% of the time. Why must we talk more than this?

4. Respond with interest - During the conversation they need to show verbal and non verbal cues. It can be nodding, smiling, or commenting but they must show interest. When they respond, if they speak at the same energy level as you, they're definitely interested.

5. Let the speaker finish - I know what you're thinking. This one is the most frustrating of them all. There is nothing like you presenting your concern or instructions and being interrupted every sentence. Our brains speed along four times faster than we speak, so your vendor needs to make a conscious effort to not finish your sentences or interrupt. Waiting for pauses could be a good opportunity for them to comment, but not while you're speaking.

6. Show understanding - Just because they say, "I understand," doesn't mean they actually do. Crazy, right? They need to prove to you they do. This can happen a number of ways. They can restate your idea or they can ask a probing question to get deeper into the topic. Simply repeating what you said doesn't count. They must show comprehension.

7. Be respectful - They need to show you that they take your views seriously. Changing their tone of voice, rate of speech and choice of words are all great signs that they're being empathetic.

Thats it! Thats all they have to do. By listening, your aircraft parts' supplier will be able to better understand your needs and requirements. They will also be able to communicate with you better.

There's nothing worse than talking to someone who acts like they slept through your conversation.

What are some listening issues you've come across when dealing with an aircraft parts supplier? Comment below.

3 Mistakes you Make When Dealing with Difficult People

Dealing with difficult people happens to everyone. More than likely it happens to you on a daily basis. Just search on Twitter and you'll come across many feeds that reference this topic. Click here to see a picture of one feed, referring to "rude vendors."

I can openly say that I have and still make these mistakes, when letting difficult people get to me. It will always take a conscious effort on my part. As business professionals one of our main goals should be to work with people that make our life easier, but that isn't always the case.

Is it worth dealing with these people? Well, it's all based on how you want to FEEL and what the added benefits are through dealing with them. Personally, if I work with a difficult vendor I will do everything I can to not deal with them again…unless I have no other choice.

If you have to deal with difficult people focus on these 3 areas that are common mistakes and it just might make your life a little easier.

You Become Defensive

When dealing with difficult people it can be a natural instinct to defend yourself. If they attack, judge and belittle you, why wouldn't you defend yourself.

But the truth is, once you become defensive, two opposing forces will be FIGHTING  each other rather than gaining ground on what's to be accomplished.

No resolution comes from a defensive state.

If you know nothing good will come out of your mouth…take some deep breaths. This will allow you to refocus and think rationally.

Instead of becoming defensive, stay positive and take deep breaths. Yes, this may sound too simple but it works.

You Don't Listen

I'll just toss a number out but I can be certain that 90% of all disagreements are made by one, or both parties not listening to the other. We come across this more frequently than we should.

Listening is one of the best skills anyone can include in their tool kit, especially when dealing with difficult people.

By actively listening, you can understand where the other person is coming from. If it's a vendor, this may be a GREAT time to see that there may be a flaw somewhere in their business. Disagreements are excellent to learn from.

Not all difficult people are the same. By listening you can weed out the people that have legitimate concerns from the people that you won't be able to work with.

You Avoid Solutions

Sometimes, when you deal with difficult people you think of everything but a solution. You're saying to yourself  "this vendor is annoying" or "what a pain."

These may be true, but try to present a solution. By presenting a solution you are showing the other party you're trying to correct the issue they have. You are actively engaging in the resolution to the problem and most people will respect that.

When you understand the mistakes you make when dealing with people, it will only make you stronger the next time a difficult person comes along.

Conflict and difficult people can be a major contributor to your stress levels. The effects of stress makes you less efficient and can disrupt everything you have going on.

What mistakes do you make when dealing with difficult people?

Quality Assurance: Your Vendor Can't Define It

We’ve all experienced an aircraft spares quality control issue at some time or another and if your experience was anything like mine, it was beyond annoying. It was ridiculous. Quality assurance should be an essential part of every organization and it goes far beyond the meaning of a good product. It's better  defined as a good brand. I recently ran into a problem with a new company whom we were dealing with for the first time and it was quality assurance at it's worst.

Imagine this. You send a $10,000 order to a company, which has to be wired up front, but due to a severe time constraint, you overlook your typical vendor approval process to make sure the unit is at your facility the next day. You figure, you can finish the paperwork in the morning. The next day arrives and your chief inspector is ready to review the material but the order never shows up. You call the vendor…no answer! You call FedEx…package is untraceable!

Through some luck you end up getting in contact with the vendor, however he is disengaged and states "we dropped the package off at FedEx, if they lost it, too bad". Now at this point I'm sure you're furious, so you call FedEx. FedEx tells you they reviewed the video tapes and the gentlemen who dropped off the package, came back and asked to retake the package  because he "forgot" something. At this point you know you've found a crook and unfortunately time is going to have to be spent chasing this guy around.

You see this happened to me and if I just had relied on the quality assurance program we had in place for new vendors, this could have been avoided… I was  constrained by a deadline and rushed.

Here are 3 reasons why your vendor needs a quality assurance program:

1. Reduces Risk

With lower barriers to entry, we've all seen an increase in aircraft spares part suppliers, mostly low overhead "brokers", but the amount of honest companies compared to the amount of actual companies is low. What a quality assurance program  forces companies to do is to be organized. They must understand that policy and procedures are necessary to minimize quality control issues during the aircraft spares sales process.

It isn't easy and it takes time  and additional staff to do so.

Quality assurance drastically reduces the risk you'll take in dealing with a company. If they have an internal audit form, a QC manual and specific policies in place, you have a much better chance of knowing your dealing with someone reputable. Isn't this critical when dealing with expensive assets such as aircraft spares?

2. Reduces Laziness

Do you want to deal with a company that appears to be lazy, I don't. A quality assurance program help's distinguish the lazy companies from the companies who are making an effort. If they don't have specific guidelines to abide by in their quality department, they're lazy. And what's worse than a lazy company? Being lazy in quality control means they're lazy in shipping, customer service, among every other aspect of their organization.

Lazy here, lazy there, lazy everywhere!

3. Increases Organization

Having structured, quality control procedures you can be certain that the organization you're dealing with is more organized than the companies who don't. From record keeping, aircraft spares traceability, vendor audits, shipping standards, certain activities have to be in place and organization is essential.

The moral of the quality control story is...try to deal with vendors whom have a history of quality on their side. But make sure you broaden your view, because you deserve not only a high quality product but a high quality service experience as well.

What are some quality  assurance concerns you experience? Comment below.

3 Reasons You Should Fire Your Aircraft Spares Vendor

Are you frustrated? Is it hard to sleep at night because it seems your aircraft spares vendor just doesn't care? This is an all too common occurrence and I know exactly how you feel. It seems in such a critical environment that the distance between us and certain companies only grows further apart. I have a rather funny story to share with you, but a serious one for that matter.

The other day we called a company and needed to buy a $100 part off of them for a rotable we were having repaired. We told them we needed it shipped the same day and we could buy it for $100. He said "In today's environment, I'll take anything I can get". So we proceeded to purchase the part.

The piece part didn't show up the next day. We called the vendor (keep in mind this is on a Thursday) and nobody answered...all day! So we had to buy it from elsewhere, having to spend more time and money on such a small piece part that could eventually have a dramatic effect on us. The original vendor part showed up the next day, which we had to deny. We have yet to get a return phone call.

This is a simple story that had a rather minimal impact on cost, but it happens on much greater scales and we are victims of the larger issues as well, as I 'm sure you are.

Below are 3 reasons why firing your vendor is necessary:

1. Reliability

Poor reliability is devastating to you and the close relationship you need with your vendor. I understand issues arise, whether it be logistics, MRO repair, or OEMs dragging their feet but it's overcoming these problems, solving the problems and working day in and day out to come to a resolution that makes a vendor reliable. During difficult situations you can test a vendor on how they react to a situation and see if they're willing to do everything they can for you. This proves to you they don't just care about receiving a PO, but legitimately care about you personally and your organization.

2. Accessibility

Mediocre accessibility can create bottlenecks in your productivity. A good vendor must be reachable at all hours of the day. Whether it's an AOG, or you just want someone to talk to, it doesn't matter.

Our Account Managers will answer their Blackberry and respond to emails at 3am. They do everything they can to stay in constant communication with our clients. Now, this doesn't have to be the case for everyone, but when they aren't asleep can you call or email them and get a response? Or maybe through a different medium such as Skype or text? If so, you know they care about your operation and are available to make sure that your job is that much easier…it's peace of mind.

3. Flexibility

Now, this point may seem like I'm going to talk about prices but I'm not.

The flexibility of a vendor is critical, why? Because it doesn't take them 3 days to meet your requirement or get a response. Who wants to talk to a machine, press numerous numbers, and then have to leave a voice mail to talk to a human? I don't. Even if they don't answer their voice mail right away as most people are quicker via email, that's a start.

Have you ever heard a vendor say "if you don't hear back from us in 48 hours, consider it a No Quote"? Are these companies kidding! No, I rather you just tell me right away or at least engage with me so I know in the future, you care about my needs. This is not a flexible interactive relationship, but instead you just telling me that you care about yourself and I come second in 48 hours.

Today, it's important to understand the role of a vendor, aside from their product lines. You need the whole package from distribution, to a relationship built on reliability, accessibility and flexibility. When one of these start to deteriorate, it can make things much more difficult than they have to be.

What do you look for in a vendor? Please comment in our comment section below and we will respond.