Becoming a Preferred Supplier

What do the preferred suppliers have to do to get on to the MBP?

ECC's Preferred Suppliers are generally approached by the ECC. We go through a rigorous selection process to ensure consistency with our goals and philosophy and to ensure that the goods and services and terms by which they are offered to our member centres are attractive and appropriate to meet your needs.

Criteria

Definition

Reputation

The provider must have a solid positive reputation in our sector

Product / Service range

Product / service range must be relevant to ECE centres and available nationally, with good pre and post sales service, payment arrangements, distribution arrangements, etc.

Exclusivity

The product / service range or the offer to ECC members must be exclusive to ECC members and must be of reasonable benefit compared to other offerings made by the supplier or its competitors to the wider ECE sector

Likely Demand

Must be able to demonstrate an appreciation of the decision to buy remaining with each member centre; and what the size of the overall demand for the product/service range is likely to be.

Must achieve a win-win-win (for the ECC member, the supplier and the ECC)

Appeal to ECE centres

Messaging to ECC members must be tailored and reflect an understanding of their business and operating environment

Partnership

The ECC is looking for a preferred supplier who keeps in touch, actively understands our members and takes an interest in our business in a collaborative fashion.

Activity

The ECC is looking for a preferred supplier that wants to work at the relationship and is not a passive partner.

All Preferred Suppliers sign a minimum-12 month agreement with the ECC and are evaluated annually based on your feedback. If they fall below our expectation of service and satisfaction with our members, we will replace them on the programme.

What can preferred suppliers offer?

Preferred suppliers will be able to:

  • Offer you a specific range of goods and services at discounted prices
  • Offer you terms that reflect the nature of the sector we are in.

How do we know what specific goods or services are available from each Preferred Supplier?

Each Preferred Supplier must clearly identify the specific goods and services that are available under the programme to our members on their ECC website page.

There may be other goods and services available through each Preferred Supplier, but these will not be promoted on our website. This is to protect each of our Preferred Suppliers and to ensure no conflicts or overlaps in goods and services. A condition of the agreement we sign with each Preferred Supplier is exclusivity for the agreed range of goods and services.

Preferred Supplier Contract for Goods and Services

The ECC establishes a contract with each Preferred Supplier outlining roles and responsibilities.