The theme of my December article was how to make manufacturers reps more valuable to your business. It was directed toward showrooms, but would certainly be applicable to the wholesale side of your business as well.
In the article I said that I had developed a Vendor Rating Form that showrooms (and wholesalers) could use to rate their vendor partners. It's a two page form and it lists 26 different criteria that can be used to rate a vendor. The purpose of the form is to identify the stronger and weaker areas as it relates to your working relationship with that vendor. Identifying the weaker areas then enables you to sit with the vendor and try to improve the relationship. It's a win-win for all involved. The form can also be used to analyze any new vendors you might be considering. One of the criteria involves the rep that calls on you.