28+ Sample Vendor Contact Lists

What Is a Vendor Contact List?

A vendor contact list is an official document used to collect all vendor contact information. Also called a vendor or supplier list, this document is a more personalized list rather than the contact pages you see in telephone directories. That means you can decide which vendors’ details to list down instead of having a general vendor list. And every approved vendor from your standards is worth noting to contact them again from time to time. Oftentimes, the ones listed in the contact list are from whom companies signed a vendor contract with.

According to Statista, the street vendor market in America was valued at up to $1.5 billion in 2020.

Why Are Vendor Contact Lists Necessary?

In business, ending relationships with customers and suppliers can be a huge loss to companies. So to work again with the vendors who satisfied you, it helps to have quick access to every approved vendor’s contact details. And this is why a vendor contact list is important since it contains the vendors’ names, contact numbers, and even locations. Also, business partnership proposal tend to increase as your company grows. And the contact list is there to help you remember all the vendor details instead of forgetting and ending relationships with them.

On another note, a vendor contact list is crucial for vendor management. Of course, you must manage when to contact the suppliers, how much to pay them, and other specifics. In fact, the US street vendor sector was valued at $1.5 billion in 2020. And that just leaves the street vendor market so there are still more vendors out there from florists, caterers, videographers, and so much more. So to have reliable access in contacting every vendor from different fields, vendor contact lists can save the day.

What Are the Elements of a Standard Vendor Contact List?

Although a vendor contact list is too easy to understand, how about what elements you find inside the list itself? If you want a complete and detailed vendor contact list for your reference, then be sure to have these essential elements into your list:

Title: First things first, the title ‘vendor contact list’ should be visible on the top center of your list. It works best to use bold capital letters since the title gives away the main statement of purpose. Without a clear title, the contact list could be mistaken as any other document. But you can also go for a more personalized title if you don’t want the generic vendor contact list.Purpose: What serves as the additional introductory statement is the purpose of your list. Indeed, it functions as a vendor contact list. But you have to be more specific with what they are for. Is it for a wedding planning vendor contact list or maybe a sports event vendor contact list? Whatever your purpose is, it is worth stating because you won’t likely use the same vendors for different events. For example, florists at weddings don’t need to be at sports events.Vendor Categories: For every vendor contact detail to add to the list, it works best to categorize them to avoid confusion. Otherwise, you might think someone’s contact number is a supplier for catering yet they are actually the photographer. Thus, divide your vendors according to which suppliers are related to food, photography contract, floral arrangement, music, reception venue, and more. So when you need someone from the catering department, then simply refer to the food category in your vendor contact list.Name: To start noting the vendor contact details, state the name of the vendor. You can write the name of the business as a start. But it works best to be more specific with a person’s name so you know who to personally contact with. It should be the vendor or any representative of the matter. In fact, calling vendors by their names will help bring a closer relationship between you both.Address: In case you can’t call the vendor, you may meet with him or her personally from the address. Ensure to write the exact venue of the business address or maybe their personal address, if provided. In case their location changes from time to time, then be sure to stay updated so you will know what to change in the list.Contact Number: The most important part of the vendor contact list would be all the vendors’ contact numbers. Expect to write down every vendor’s telephone number or cellphone number, depending on what is given. And you can’t go wrong with the numbers because even with just one mistake in the number, you won’t be able to reach your desired vendor.Email Address: Besides contact numbers, email addresses are also critical. Get each vendor’s professional email address for future reference. Also, you can add the vendor’s official social media account or website details here for additional contacts.Notes: Don’t forget to add an extra section for notes. This part is basically just a blank space where you can write down additional details that may concern the vendor contact list. For example, you may use the space as your budget calculator in getting supplies and other factors concerning the vendors. At least this free space has no rule on what detail to add; you can use it for any purpose.

How to Create a Vendor Contact List

Vendor contact lists aren’t that difficult to make. But the major concern would be if you know enough vendors in the first place. Otherwise, not knowing some vendors would mean you won’t need to make the list at all. By knowing, that means you don’t just identify their names but actually know what kind of goods or services they offer and how to explain their business to clients and stakeholders. Once you are through with that, proceed to these steps in making the vendor contact list itself:

Step 1: List All Known Vendors in a Draft

The first step is to make a draft of all the vendors you know of. It doesn’t matter if some details are incomplete and uncategorized because this is still a draft for notetaking. And for extra reference page sheet, you can always look at your contract library, research back on the accounts payable, or inquire from any representative from your department. You will eventually get the answers you are looking for. And this draft will be used as your reference in making the actual vendor contact list afterward.

Step 2: Use a Sample Vendor Contact List

The sample vendor contact list templates are in this post for a reason—for your convenience in making such lists without working from scratch. So select any sample you prefer from the listed templates above until you can work on a vendor contact list right away. Just click download and you will eventually have the freedom to edit the sample. And don’t forget to transfer the data report you listed in the draft to the sample template for your reference.

Step 3: Complete the List’s Basic Elements

You already learned about the elements of a basic vendor contact list from the title, purpose, vendor categories, and so forth. Be sure to add them to your list to complete the significant details. Also, there is room to add more elements if you want, like a material code, unique serial number, and more. Make a checklist as well to avoid listing duplicates that could make the list confusing. What matters most is that such elements you add are making the list more comprehensive and organized rather than a hard-to-read document.

Step 4: Evaluate Vendor Relationships

Eventually, you will rate each vendor with their performance from the quality of supplies, customer service, or overall performance. It would be great to make an evaluation report about your relationship with the vendors until you can tell who should be prioritized more for your next event. This is also your chance to make feedback about what you want to accomplish and how helpful a vendor can be to your business. Or perhaps, you arrange your vendor contact list from your number one reliable vendor down to the least option you would contact from now on.

Step 5: Finalize the List’s Design and Output

Something you should never forget is the vendor contact list’s final output. Be sure you have finalized its design, format, and overall content before using the document. This includes finalizing if you should use the MS Word or PDF version. The same goes for what copy you want, may it be a printed or digital copy. A tip is to go for which is more convenient for you. If you are a techie person, then you would likely use a digital copy so it will be in your gadget 24/7. But you can also go for a printable format if you plan to keep them in your office and just take notes often.

Step 6: Update the List Regularly

The last step is to keep track of the list’s information because it will likely be changed from time to time. Update the list’s details whenever a vendor decides to move to another venue or when a vendor changes his or her contact numbers. That way, you won’t be left behind like when the usual number you use to contact them no longer works. Hence, continue tracking sheet for updates to ensure you have correct and updated data always.

FAQs

What is a vendor?

According to Investopedia, a vendor or supplier can be anyone or a company that sells goods and services. Or in a sense, they create products or services for businesses and customer lists.

What are other names for vendor contact lists?

Vendor contact lists are similar to supplier lists, merchant lists, dealer lists, businessperson lists, or simply vendor lists.

What are the types of vendors?

Generally, vendors are divided into three types—B2C, B2G, and B2B. And they stand for business to consumer, business to government, and business to business vendors.

While a vendor contact list helps you gather all vendor contact information for your business, you must not forget that deciding which vendors to work with is not just something to be done overnight. For example, vendor evaluation can even take many days, weeks, or months. But once you have collected all the relevant data and update the contact details regularly, rest assured, working with vendors will run smoothly. So don’t stress out about getting your next supplies with an easy-to-use and customizable sample vendor contact list for reference. Download now!