There are plenty of questions you should ask before you hire any roofing company in Scranton. With the information, you can decide who you will use and who you won’t. You want to make sure they are a good fit for your needs. Don’t pick one randomly and then hope it all turns out well. Spending time to gather the facts in advance can help it to go smoothly.
What are the Roofing Companies Credentials?
A combination of
skills, dedication, and equipment allow someone to have a successful roofing
company. Learn about their credentials including the background of the
business. Who owns it and how long have they had it? How much has the business
grown and how large is the crew that works for them?
In many locations, it is required for roofing contractors in Scranton to have a license in order to build. Verify that the roofing company does have one and it isn’t expired. You should also do your own homework and verify there isn’t a long list of complaints out there against them.
Safety Protocols
What steps does the
business take to ensure overall safety? They should be concerned with the
safety of all employees, your structure, and your surroundings. They should
have insurance to cover any injuries or if there are any damages to your home
that may occur while they complete the work.
Materials That Are Used
Which types of materials do the contractors in Scranton offer? What do they recommend for your structure? The roofers should take the slope of it, the location, and even the neighborhood into consideration. You need to confirm they will offer top quality materials that are useful for your type of roof.
Methods
What methods do the roofers use to remove old roofing materials and haul it away? Never assume they will do this for you! Some roofing contractors in Scranton can only add new materials on top of what already exists and that isn’t good business. Other roofers may remove the old materials but not haul it away for you. Confirm they will do so, never assume it is included.
A great roofing company should take care to protect your landscaping and other surroundings while the work is being done. Learn about the process they engage in to complete the work. This will help to reduce the risk of any stress or problems when the work is being done.
Current
Jobs
How many current jobs do they have on their schedule? Is it possible for them to get you scheduled in a reasonable amount of time? If they were to come complete an inspection, could they realistically take on your job too? Roofers in Scranton shouldn’t spread themselves too thin because that can cause them to rush jobs or to be on a time delay.
Warranty
Do the roofers offer any type of warranty for the work they will complete? While the materials the use may have one warranty on them, they may extend it to their work in a separate warranty. This can be a great way to have peace of mind that the work will be done well or they will be held accountable.
Working
with China for your goods as a supplier can help you to save money. However,
you must go about it in the right way or you can end up with a mess on your
hands. There are common mistakes and pitfalls that can get your US business
into trouble and prevent you from thriving. Understanding them from the start
can help you to avoid them.
The
impact China offers for US based businesses can’t be ignored. It is hard to
overlook the ability to get the creation of goods in China for such a cheap
labor price compared to the cost of it in the US. This can help a business
lower overhead cost and provide their products for less to those within the US.
There are wonderful opportunities with Chinese entrepreneurs as they see the
value it offers for them as well. Yet there are concerns that have to be
addressed to avoid problems later on.
Using
the right approach, it is possible to look out for such issues so they don’t
become a challenge for your own business. It is possible to work well with a
Chinese company to get your goods created to sell in the US. It doesn’t matter
if you are a small or large company, the right tactics are going to help you to
be successful!
Create your Strategy
You
should never work with any Chinese business and just hope for the best. You need
to have a clear strategy and you need to make sure you don’t cut corners. You
need to explain what you need and verify they can provide it. You need to take
your time to find the best supplier possible for your needs. The time you spend
evaluating them and narrowing it down can make a world of difference in regard
to what you end up with. Some areas you need to evaluate for comparison
include:
Delivery time
Functionality
Price
Quality
Finding the Best Supplier
Take
all the time you need to find the best China supplier. You should learn all you
can about them. There is a wealth of information offered on the internet. Check
out their websites and their social media accounts. Read feedback from other businesses
in the US too and find out who they use. What has their experience been?
Taking your time to verify the right supplier can help you to make a connection that you can count on. They need to offer you overall value, not hassles. Find out about the methods accepted for payment. Inquire about the quality standards and the methods of quality control that would be implemented should you hire them to create your products.
Standards to Hold your Suppliers to
You
should never compromise when it comes to quality. The China based businesses
you work with represent you. You have to feel confident they will follow
through with what they offer and you can be proud to stand behind those
products. You will have upset customers and they won’t make future purchases if
they quality is lacking. Your goal is to make sure you get customers to return
time and time again.
Can
they keep up with your production capacity? When your business is just starting
out, the China based supplier may have no trouble doing so. However, as your
business grows, do they have the ability to keep up with the increased demand
for production ongoing? If they are producing more for you, does that diminish
the overall quality of the finished products? It is wise to look into such
concerns before you hire them.
All
of the safety and quality regulations you require need to be put into writing.
The Chinese company needs to reply in writing how they will meet or exceed
those requirements. Such documentation is going to help reduce the risk of problems
or any disputes between your business and theirs in the future. Here are some
items to consider when you look into the standards of such suppliers:
What quality
standards are in place they have agreed to in writing?
What is the
production capacity?
Where in China
are they located? Is it close to a major city? Is shipping the items out of
there going to be easy?
What is the price
range with a given supplier?
What types of
communication do they have in place?
What methods of
technology will be implemented into the production process?
Verify Performance
Dig
deeply into the background of any potential supplier in China. Due diligence
has to be verified, and if it isn’t, you need to look for someone else to
create your products. You don’t want to be taken advantage of or scammed. This
can harm your business and ruin your reputation. Do all you can go gather
information and verify performance. Some elements you should look at include:
Check reviews
from their other customers.
Talk to them over
the phone to get your questions answered and to confirm what they are willing
to do for your business.
Verify they are
registered and certified. You can use the platform Alibaba to help you find out
about such credentials
Obtain a copy of
their license from the supplier. This will have their business name, address,
and other information on it. This is an official document and if they don’t
have it or won’t give you a copy, that is a red flag you don’t want to work
with them.
Verify they are
registered with the local government. They need to be registered with the AIC
(Administration for Industry). You can get accurate information on a Chinese
business by visiting an AIC office. You can also hire legal representation in
China to do this on your behalf.
Visit with
suppliers. It does take time to travel to China, but it can be well worth it.
This gives you a chance to meet with potential suppliers one on one. You can
talk to them, you can tour their facilities, and you can get your questions
answered. You can schedule appointments with several possible suppliers during
the same trip to maximize the value.
Protect yourself with Quality and
Payments
When
you work with Chinese suppliers, you must protect yourself in regard to both
quality and payments. Such transactions are going to take place on an
International level. How will you get your money back should there be any type
of dispute between you and the supplier? You don’t want to risk losing your
money.
There
are several actions you are encouraged to take that will reduce such a risk.
They include:
Choose a payment method that is deemed safe for International transactions. They include escrow services or a line of credit through a bank. Avoid any type of wire transfer or the use of a credit card for payment.
The level of quality you demand with the products needs to be clearly defined. It also needs to be agreed to in writing by the Chinese provider. The document needs to clarify you can get your money back if the quality is below the agreed upon standards.
Your initial orders for goods should be small. Pay for them and see what you get in return. If the quality is there and they are delivered on time, you can increase your orders over time. It is a good idea to have a probationary period in your legal documents. Should you not find it is working out to deal with that supplier in China, you can end the relationship at the end of that probationary period without any issues.
It is a good idea to have more than one source for your goods in China. Should you find one provider suddenly stops meeting the demand, they are offering poor quality, or they want to increase the price you will have other options. You won’t be backed into a corner and at their mercy.
Always get it in Writing
Verbal
agreements are going to get you into trouble with any aspect of your business.
Always get the information in writing when you work with a Chinese supplier.
Make sure it is very detailed and all involved parties have signed it. Any
changes or additions alter on will be amendments and require additional
signatures and dates to keep them current. You need an attorney to read through
it that understands the laws both in the US and China. Keep in mind, the legal
structures aren’t the same in both countries!
Your
written contract must contain the following to reduce the risk of problems:
Arbitration clause
Attorney fees
Choice of law
Dispute
resolution process
Liability should
a party be found to breach the contract
Names of all
parties involved
Payment terms and
method
Terms including
price and logistics
Quality control
details
No Attorney Involved
Never
assume the contract is valid. It may not hold up in a court of law! It is far
more complicated with International contracts. You need an attorney to review
it and to regulate it. They need to be seasoned in regard to the laws in both
countries. They can help you to go through the information and create a draft
for all to review. They can also help with the negotiation process so the final
contract is agreed upon by all parties and signed.
Such
an attorney should be there to discuss any problems with you too. Should you
have an issue, they can be part of the arbitration process. Their goal is to
help you find a resolution all parties can agree to and get the relationship
back on track. They can also help you to gain compensation if the other party
is in breach of the contract.
Unaware of FCPA
As
a business owner, you need to be well aware of FCPA. Your attorney can help you
with this as well. FCPA stands for the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. You
never want to get yourself into legal trouble due to:
Anti-monopoly
regulations
Business deals
Commercial laws
Labor laws
IP Regulations
Trademark laws
A lack of information on your part isn’t going to get you out of trouble if you don’t comply with FCPA. You need to be very careful with gifts you offer too. You may have been told it is proper etiquette to bring a gift when you work with suppliers in China. However, there can be a thin line between what is deemed as a gift and what is considered to be bribery. This is especially true if there are any foreign government officials receiving such gifts.
No One Speaks Mandarin in your Business
Communication
is key for any business relationship to work. You need members on your team who
speak Mandarin very well. They can help to translate information and to share
details back and forth. It is vital that you don’t have a language barrier in
the way between you and your supplier. You can’t guess what they are talking
about, you need that information clarified!
Never
assume the Chinese based company will have staff who can speak fluent English.
If they do, that is great, and you may be able to avoid the Mandarin
requirement. However, it can be a great relationship if you can offer that to
them. You should have people on your own team that speak it though rather than
trying to rely on interpreters.
