In the last scenario, respondents expressed their views on what the contractor has to
live up to concerning service suppliers. The primary criterion that was pointed out
concerned loyalty to framework agreements with respondents stressing the
importance of sticking to the agreements even if the supplier’s competitors are
dropping their prices and that it requires professionalism from the individual
purchasers to do so. One of the respondents said: “When we have a framework
agreement, we need to stick to that. Because that we have promised our supplier”.
Second, respondents considered it essential to follow the agreements and the terms
within them. Hence, criteria directly connected to agreement are in first and second
place. Third, respondents emphasised that the contractor needs to give the service
suppliers the right prerequisites when they are involved in a project because they base
their pricing on them. In order for the supplier to be able to plan and forecast, the
contractor needs to invite the supplier earlier in the design phase of the project and also
strive to keep to the intended schedule since suppliers use it to plan their work. The
fourth criterion is core values. That personnel are approachable, honest and responsive
are considered the most essential values mentioned by respondents. Last but not least,
respondents feel that a long-term orientation to the collaboration from the contractor’s
side is an important criterion in order for the relationship between contractor and
supplier to be efficient. One of the respondents concluded that “if we do not treat our
suppliers fair, the supplier might get tired of us and this bad reputation might spread,
which results in that we are getting difficulties finding a new supplier”.