Vendor Satisfaction Surveys: What to Ask

Strong vendor relationships are built on mutual trust, clear communication, and continuous improvement. One of the most effective ways to understand your vendors’ experience—and uncover areas for growth—is through structured vendor satisfaction surveys. When integrated with smart platforms like processify, these surveys not only capture feedback but also drive actionable insights across your procurement and accounts payable (AP) processes.

In this blog, we’ll explore the key questions to include in vendor satisfaction surveys, why they matter, and how processify helps streamline the entire feedback cycle.

Why Vendor Satisfaction Surveys Matter

Vendor satisfaction is more than a feel-good metric—it directly impacts:

On-time deliveries
Invoice accuracy
Contract renewals
Vendor performance and accountability

A consistent feedback loop allows businesses to improve service levels, negotiate better terms, and maintain long-term supplier loyalty.

What to Include in a Vendor Satisfaction Survey

Here are essential question categories and examples you should consider when designing your survey:

✅ 1. Communication & Responsiveness

How would you rate the clarity and timeliness of our communication?
Are you able to reach the right contact person when needed?
How quickly do we respond to your inquiries or concerns?

✅ 2. Payment and Invoice Processing

How satisfied are you with our invoice approval and payment timelines?
Have you encountered any recurring issues with our payment process?
Do you receive adequate updates regarding invoice status?

✅ 3. Contract Clarity & Expectations

Were the terms and conditions clearly explained and followed?
Were the KPIs and SLAs mutually agreed upon and upheld?

✅ 4. Relationship Management

How would you rate the overall quality of our working relationship?
Do you feel valued as a vendor/partner?
How likely are you to continue doing business with us?

✅ 5. Suggestions for Improvement

What can we do to improve our partnership?
Are there any tools, reports, or features you wish we provided?

Best Practices for Running Vendor Surveys

Keep surveys short and focused: Limit to 10–15 questions.
Use a mix of scales and open-ended questions: Ratings give structure; comments provide insights.
Automate reminders and follow-ups: Don’t rely on manual tracking.
Analyze results regularly: Look for patterns in feedback by category or vendor type.
Act on the results: Share improvements with your vendors to show responsiveness.

How processify Helps with Vendor Feedback Automation

processify simplifies the entire vendor feedback loop through its integrated survey and analytics features:

📊 Automated Surveys: Trigger surveys post-payment, project delivery, or quarterly check-ins.
📁 Centralized Feedback Records: Store vendor responses and link them to performance history.
📈 Dashboards & Reports: Visualize satisfaction trends by vendor, team, or business unit.
🔔 Real-Time Alerts: Get notified of negative feedback instantly for quick resolution.
🤝 Action Tracking: Assign follow-ups and monitor improvement initiatives within the platform.

Conclusion

Vendor satisfaction surveys aren’t just a checkbox—they’re a strategic tool to strengthen supplier partnerships and optimize operations. By asking the right questions and using processify to manage the feedback loop, you can turn insights into action and vendors into long-term allies.