In the past, for most companies operating in a free market the general attitude was not to become close to suppliers. The general method was to treat each contract on an individual basis and tender any work to a number of potential suppliers. On receiving quotations, the various suppliers would be assessed and the contract awarded to the suitable supplier who satisfies most of the necessary criteria. With this approach considerable negotiation is likely to take place between the customer and the various suppliers until the best possible deal can be struck. The great disadvantage of this approach is that it is very short-term and does not harbor closer ties to achieve a lower overall cost. The buying company will achieve some benefits through knowing prices and products throughout the marketplace giving a good overall picture of what is