By Martin Heubel, Amazon Strategy Consultant at Consulterce
Type 1: The ambitious VM
This VM type is hands-on, will bend the borders of what’s possible in the Amazon ecosystem and try to understand your business needs. They’re tough to negotiate with because they know their numbers.
However, this VM type has become very rare as Amazon’s scalability and automation focus has become more intense in recent years.
How to work with them:
If your VM falls into this category, make sure you don’t waste their time and come straight to the point. Support your arguments with data and quantify the reason for your ask whenever possible.
Type 2: The sporadic VM
Sporadic bursts of communication characterise this type of Vendor Manager. They’ll mainly contact you when prompted by their systems.
Their emails will contain requests for cost support, supply chain initiatives, or annual negotiations.
However, they won’t be interested in talking much about untapped business opportunities. All they want is to manage your account with as little effort as possible.
How to work with them:
Make sure you build relationships with your VM’s managers early on. You will likely need to escalate certain important initiatives that your VM would otherwise not support you with.
Type 3: The invisible VM
They’ve either departed to another role or respond to your messages when you no longer need their feedback. This type of VM is typically allocated to smaller vendor accounts.
How to work with them:
Instead of relying on them to develop your account, invest in external service providers to support your Amazon business. If your VM asks for any investment, make sure to delay your response. Likely, they won’t follow up on their request.
For further information and support, contact Martin Heubel here
