How to get OEM's as Customers

Before you can get OEM's as customers you need to understand who or what an OEM is.

So, what is an OEM?
An OEM is an Original Equipment Manufacturer. The original manufacturer of a hardware component or sub-component.

Why would you want an OEM as a customer?
Money.that is basically what it boils down to, you get an OEM as a customer and you basically get everyone who buys for them as a customer. So how do you get an OEM as a customer? You may also want an OEM as a customer because it is a consistent, often large, and good base customer that can help you gain other clients and customers.

Many large original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have become increasingly dependent on purchased material and services. As companies become less vertically integrated, they must rely more on their suppliers for product development, quality, productivity and technology. You want to become the person they rely on for those products, materials, and services. So, the real question is not how do you get an OEM as a customer, but how to be the company or organization an OEM wants.

Know what they want, and you answer the question of how to get them as a customer. Become what they want. To become what they want, you need to know what their objectives are. Knowing their objectives will help you to gain them as a customer.

One objective today for OEMs is to establish "vertical integration" throughout their chain of suppliers - thus the creation and evolution of "supply chain optimization." This strategy seeks common goals, linked business processes, consistent improvement strategies and tactics and relationships based on cooperation between OEMs and their suppliers. So, your job is to show OEMs how as a supplier for them you can fill this role.

Show how you would benefit them: The truth is, OEMs are sick of millions of products passing through several tiers before it gets to them. If you can show them how you can you can help reduce the number of alternate suppliers for a given product or service, you provide them with a value others can or do not, and thus, you gain them as a customer.

Another thing you will want and need to consider is the simple fact that OEMs focus on improving quality, cost and cycle time to maximize competitiveness. You want to have an OEM as a customer, show them how your product will mean the same high quality they are used to with the bonus of faster delivery, lower cost, and better customer service.

Get your name out to OEMs as a superior supplier. Make your service or product invaluable to them. If you can show that you are going to cut out the rest of the middle men, and provide what the OEM is looking for you will not only get an OEM as your customer, you will get all of the market shares that come with them.

So, where to start.contact them, offer your services, ask if they will give you a test run to allow yourself to prove your value. If they are reluctant to that, you can always offer a discounted price during the test run as bate. Maybe they will bite on that, and allow you time to prove yourself. If that does not work, start smaller, and work your way up to the OEM. Write a pitch letter, keep at it, and eventually they will give you a chance-but when they do, your product or service better be everything you told the OEM it was.