One of the best ways to get real information about a potential vendor is to visit their location in person. It can help you get a better sense of the scale of their operation, the expertise of their staff, and what they might be like to work with.

Another advantage is that you get the chance to move beyond their carefully scripted pitches and canned demos. Since major business purchases often turn into ongoing partnerships, it's worth spending the extra time to investigate a potential supplier's operation. Here are a few steps you can take to get the most out of your site visit.

Prepare in advance

Make sure you know what questions you'll ask before you arrive. Take some time to think about what really matters to you: if you're buying vehicles or equipment, you'll want to ask about repairs and maintenance. If you're investigating a service provider, ask about training policies and procedures.

Also, be sure to get details on any policies they have regarding visitors. In a manufacturing facility, you may need to wear safety gear, and you'll want to wear clothing appropriate to the type of business you're visiting. Bringing a camera can be a good idea, but some businesses will prohibit pictures of sensitive areas or equipment.

Get the whole picture

When you set up the visit, make sure the supplier understands that you want to see all parts of their business - not just the lobby and a conference room. Have them do their presentations another time: this visit should focus on watching their employees in action.

Ask to visit any area that will be a part of your interactions with the supplier. This could include the manufacturing line, repair shop, customer service department, server room, and more, depending on the type of purchase you're making. By making these types of requests up from, you'll help avoid any scheduling conflicts.

Talk to the techs, reps, or agents

You can learn a lot by talking with average employees from different departments: repair technicians, line workers, customer service agents, and the like. In most cases, you'll be talking to them with a salesperson or account rep looking over your shoulder. This may bias the answers somewhat, but you can still get some good info.

Ask about their current projects, their background, how long they've been with the company, what kind of training they received, and what they like about their job. Use open-ended questions and exercise good listening skills to get them talking. Also, avoid taking notes, which can make people nervous.

Bring the right people

To get another perspective on the supplier, bring a representative from your staff who will be most impacted by the purchasing decision. If you're buying construction equipment, bring one of your operators; if you're buying a phone system, bring a telephone sales rep or other heavy phone user. Whatever the purchase is, bring an employee who will use it constantly.

What to look for

When you're doing your site visit, here are some things to look for:

• Are employees actively working on customer projects?
• Is equipment relatively up to date and in good shape?
• Do staffers seem upbeat and dedicated?
• Are maintenance areas well stocked with parts and tools?
• Does the product or service you're buying appear to be a central part of their business, or a sideline?
• Are proper security measures in place for sensitive areas like server rooms?
• Do the facility, furnishings, and equipment project an image of stability and success?

These types of observations can help you build a complete picture of the suppliers you're evaluating, which leads to better business purchasing decisions.

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