By Karen Holden, VP Quality Assurance and Operational Analysis. Published on 6/12/2019 in Hospitality Net.

2019 ‘Meet the Truck’ award recipients are rated on order fulfillment, trailer load, product integrity and overall performance.

Quality assurance throughout the supply chain is top of mind for Avendra. It’s imperative that hoteliers’ purchasing requirements are being met by our approved suppliers. That’s why we’ve been conducting “Meet the Truck” audits at customer locations for the past 15 years. Not only does this program enable suppliers to improve their performance metrics and ultimately serve customers better, but it has become one of our customers’ most valued services in mitigating risks and ensuring peace of mind. It’s quality assurance programs like this that guarantees customers receive the correct products at a quality level and meet or exceed their expectations.

Here’s how the Meet the Truck program works: An Avendra Quality Assurance associate visits a customer location on a day when multiple deliveries are expected and conducts an audit at the time of delivery. Contracted suppliers are not informed of the audit in advance. Avendra suppliers are rated on order fulfillment, trailer load, product integrity and overall performance. Suppliers who do not receive a perfect score on the audit are provided feedback to help ensure their continued improvement. Suppliers who have deficiencies during their inspections must provide Avendra with written notice of their corrective action.

This program is one of many reasons why Avendra suppliers are considered among the best in the industry:

• Of the 850+ hospitality suppliers with which Avendra contracts, 237 scored 95 percent or better, and 250 received audit scores of 90 percent or better.
• To receive an Avendra Meet the Truck award, suppliers must participate in four or more audits in a 12-month period and receive an average score of at least 95 percent.