Reliability

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.

Prevent Aircraft Parts Supplier Sabotage By Listening

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 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.