Airstream announced it has undertaken a new system designed to evaluate suppliers in five different areas.
The program, called the Five Rivet Supplier program, was launched in August and mirrors the company’s Five Rivet Dealer program, where customers provide feedback about their dealer experience and dealers are recognized for their commitment to quality.
On the supplier side, the program will examine quality, delivery, cost, service and innovation. For each target a supplier meets or exceeds, Airstream will award the supplier a new rivet. Suppliers that achieve three or more rivets will be recognized by the company in future releases.
The company detailed its expectations by each criteria:
- Quality: Airstream expects its suppliers to deliver defect-free products as well as minimize warranty impacts to its customer base. Aligning quality expectations to the supplier’s quality performance is critical to the great experiences Airstream said it strives to provide all customers.
- Delivery: Airstream asks suppliers to deliver products according to purchase order dates and within quoted lead time. On-time delivery allows Airstream to achieve its delivery commitments to its dealer base and customers.
- Cost: Airstream looks to its suppliers to deliver quality parts on time while at a competitive price. This rivet recognizes suppliers who are continuously looking for cost improvements while maintaining excellent quality products.
- Service: Just as Airstream said it is committed to the best customer experience in the RV industry, a great customer service experience with suppliers is essential. Identifying and solving issues quickly and efficiently keeps supply lines moving.
- Innovation: For nearly 90 years, Airstream has been an industry leader in product development, engineering and design, the company said. The fifth rivet recognizes suppliers for flexibility, adaptability, and continually improving its innovation to match the needs of today and tomorrow.
“Airstream strives to provide great experiences for its customers, and that begins with strong supplier partnerships,” stated Chris Rahrig, Airstream vice president of supply chain. “Airstream makes sourcing decisions based upon total cost, it only makes sense to evaluate those same attributes as part of our new Five Rivet program. We believe this evaluation process will measure the performance of our suppliers with the needs of our customers.”
Airstream said its new Five Rivet Supplier program will serve not only to recognize excellence in the supply chain, but also as a vehicle for providing feedback to developing suppliers.
