In the eighteen years since I joined this industry, every publisher I have encountered trusts the distribution of its publications to a person or other entity that is not an employee.  There's a tremendous savings involved in outsourcing distribution, but there is also a great risk in using outsiders.  For that reason, it pays to be very thorough in the selection process.

Reliable, timely distribution allows a publisher to keep its promises to advertisers.  Coming through on those promises is what gives a publication its value as a medium of advertising.  For this reason it is important to choose a contractor who delivers results.  Here are some suggestions on how to do this.

1.  Creating the Pool.  There are almost as many ways to find delivery contractors as there are delivery contractors.  The best methods, however, are the ones that lead you to contractors who are currently working and have verifiable histories.  Speak with your colleagues and see who they have used.  Where you see deliveries of other publications being made consistently on time, talk to the people making the deliveries.  Your current delivery contractors know people; ask the good ones if they know someone interested in your area of concern.

2.  Weeding the Pool.  Your objective in interviewing the candidates is to come to a determination that they can and will perform as you need them.  Ask about their ability to take on your work:  How many drivers do they use?  Are they employees or subcontractors?  How many clients do they serve now?  How much time is spent on a weekly basis serving their clients?  How do they expect to complete your work?  Who will do it?  When will it be complete?  Don't accept answers that simply parrot your expectations.  Dig deeper when you believe the response is too simple.

After you become convinced candidates are able to handle the work, shift your focus to their willingness to do the work.  Recall problems you have had with contractors in the past and ask you they would handle similar situations.  Use your imagination to create worst case scenarios to pose to the contractors for solutions.  Be sure to ask, also, how they would handle time conflicts.  Make sure they have plans that would keep your publication from being late.  Pay attention to gut feelings you have about how they are answering your questions.  However, don't rely solely on their answers and your gut.

Ask your candidates for references.  Get current and former clients.  Ask these references about their best and worst experiences with your candidates.  Ask:  Were they better or worse than expected?  How so?  Why aren't they with you now?  Would you contract with them again?  Ask any other questions you think of that relate to their performance and character as business people.  Listen to what is said and not said in their answers.  People are usually very forthcoming with favorable comments and less so with the unfavorable.  Again, take notice of your gut feeling on the tone of their answers.

In a nutshell, create your pool of contractors -- whether individuals or companies -- from ones that are currently working.  Find out if they can actually handle the work and if they are likely to do it to your satisfaction.  Ask for references and actually call these people.  Nothing is foolproof, but due diligence will increase your chances of contracting with the right one.

Ray Boddie, Jr.