CORPORATE SUPPLIER IN THE DR

This guide offers a clear process for selecting, contracting, and managing your Corporate Supplier in the Dominican Republic, focusing on control, measurement, and operational continuity. The Dominican Republic (DR) presents logistical and regulatory specificities that Marketing and HR should anticipate.

We'll cover evaluation criteria, an actionable checklist, key metrics, and a mini-case study. The goal is to ensure brand consistency, total cost of ownership (TCO), and a consistent experience for employees and customers.

Key Recommendation: Formalize a single purchasing and evaluation process by category.

A few months ago, a company planned a launch involving corporate gifts and uniforms; the supplier promised delivery in 10 days but ended up delivering in 24, with 18% of parts out of specification. The activation was executed, but the brand lost impact and the team worked under unnecessary stress. This scenario summarizes the operational risk we address below.

Key recommendation: Check actual deadlines with pre-pilot and service clauses.

Problem and impact

When selecting a corporate supplier based solely on price, hidden costs increase: reprocessing, overtime, and emergencies. In the Dominican Republic, import delays can add 2–4 weeks if there is no inventory planning and permits. This impacts campaigns, standardization, and onboarding.

Typical consequences include 12–25% cost overruns in TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), 10–20 point drops in employee NPS (Net Promoter Score) due to incomplete kits, and brand deviations of up to 30% in pantone colors, affecting consistency in events and retail. Furthermore, the lack of SLAs (Service Level Agreements) leads to complaints and internal attrition.

Key recommendation: Quantify the cost of non-quality and link it to the annual budget.

Practical solutions

To address this point, we recommend operating with a disciplined and measurable checklist.

Step 1: Objectives and metrics. How to do it: Define results by category (uniforms, gifts, POP) and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) by campaign. What to measure: specification compliance (%), actual vs. agreed lead time, TCO per unit.
Step 2: Structured RFIs/RFQs. How to do it: Send RFIs (Request for Information) and RFQs (Request for Quotation) with specifications, quantities, tolerances, and dates. What to measure: Response time, proposal completeness, cost variability (±%).
Step 3: Evaluation Scorecard. How to do it: Rate the supplier on quality (40%), service (30%), cost (20%), and sustainability (10%). What to measure: Total score and gaps by criterion; evidence (certifications, case studies).
Step 4: Pilot and quality control. How to do it: Run a physical sample and a small batch; use AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) of 1.5–2.5 depending on criticality. What to measure: Defect rate, color deviation (ΔE), internal user feedback.
Step 5: SLAs and penalties. How to do it: Agree on an SLA with delivery windows, replenishment, and packaging standards. What to measure: OTIF (On Time In Full), claims per million, replenishment time.
Step 6: Logistics and compliance. How to do it: Validate imports, labeling, and local permits; plan safety stock. What to measure: days of inventory, logistics costs per unit, customs clearances.
Step 7: Quarterly Monitoring. How to do it: Establish a QBR (Quarterly Business Review) with corrective actions. What to measure: KPI trends, cumulative savings, user satisfaction.

Key recommendation: Document the process in a category purchasing policy.

Mini-case

A service company in Santo Domingo consolidated uniforms and gifts with a single audited supplier. It implemented a pilot, SLA, and QBR. In six months, the company's total cost of ownership fell by 22%, OTIF increased from 81% to 96%, and internal NPS went from 54 to 71. Artwork approval time was reduced from 5 to 2 days with standard branded templates.

Key recommendation: Centralize categories and measure improvement quarterly.

FAQ

Q: How long does the entire process take from RFI to first delivery? A: Between 3 and 6 weeks depending on the complexity; with a pilot, the lead time is stabilized and risks are reduced.
Q: What is your minimum production requirement for custom uniforms? A: From 50 units per SKU; for embroidery or screen printing, costs are optimized starting at 100 units.
Q: How do we ensure brand colors? A: We use physical testing, color classification, and ΔE measurement; this is documented in a technical sheet and validated in a pilot.

Key recommendation: Define standard questions and save them in your RFI.

In short, a disciplined process minimizes friction, protects the brand, and ensures measurable results. Lemon Creativo can support you from pilot to national distribution with SLAs and quarterly reporting.

Key recommendation: Request a pilot with defined KPIs before the main order.

Request your quote and samples within 48 hours.