The HVAC supply chain is an ever-changing entity. Distributors work to understand it, but the intricacies can prove to be difficult as industry players attempt to grasp the moving targets of distribution theory and practice. To help, Heating Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) has developed several initiatives and programs. Each addresses a specific sector of HVAC distribution in an attempt to define challenges, discover solutions to these challenges, and explore practical applications of the solutions in order to improve distribution business performance.
One of the programs HARDI has introduced to help is the Vendor Scorecard program. Earlier this year, the Management Methods Committee commissioned a study to identify best practices for distributors to evaluate their supplier vendors. Anecdotal discussions led the committee leadership to believe few HARDI distributors had formal processes for evaluating their suppliers and those who did relied heavily on subjective measures.