LM official provides advice to small-business owners

CNY Business Journal (1996+), Jul 01, 2005 by Tampone, Kevin

SYRACUSE - For small technology companies, business with a larger firm can be the difference between success and failure.

But getting a foot in the door at those companies can sometimes be challenging, says Stephen Wylong, director of sourcing and subcontracts at Lockheed Martin Corporation's local site. Wylong spoke on the issues small companies face in doing business with larger firms at the Center for Advanced Technology in Computer Applications and Software Engineering (CASE Center) at Syracuse University on Tuesday.

The talk was part of the monthly roundtable sponsored jointly by CASE and the Syracuse Technology Garden.

"The bad news is there really is no magic formula to 'solution' this issue," Wylong says. "It boils down to working really hard."

For large companies like Lockheed Martin, the advantages of using small firms as suppliers are numerous, he adds. They bring creativity and innovation to the table.

Lockheed works with thousands of small suppliers all over the country in all areas of its business, Wylong says.

Becoming one of those suppliers is no easy task.

"It's very competitive," Wylong says. "There [are] a lot of people out there looking to do business with companies like Lockheed Martin."

Often, the first contact can be somewhat passive. At Lockheed, for example, the company maintains a Web site for potential suppliers.

Companies looking to partner with the government-contracting giant can enter their business, products, and services into a database. When someone at Lockheed is looking for a new supplier for a project, they'll use that database as a resource, Wylong says.

Large companies also often have liaisons dedicated to working with small companies. Firms that do government work almost always have such positions because of Washington's emphasis on the importance of small companies in the overall economy, Wylong says.

However a small firm establishes first contact with a potential partner, there are always steps it can take to improve its chances of eventually winning a contract and securing future opportunities.

Being proactive instead of passive is at the top of the list of those steps, Wylong says. He advised owners to look beyond individual proposals. If a small firm can find other ways its products could help a large company, mentioning those things is an excellent way to attract future contracts.

"Have that dialogue about where other opportunities are," Wylong says. "You should be prepared to expand your communication plans when you're dealing with a large company."

Being proactive with a large firm means knowing it and its clients well, Wylong adds. Research is key for any small company looking to win contracts from big business.

"Really doing your homework and really doing your research is critical," he says. "Learn about their customer set. Understanding that gives you an idea of where you might fit in [with] this big gorilla."

Of course, details like making sure a company delivers what it promises, meets deadlines, and being cost conscious are also keys to success with large firms. Wylong says he often spends time working with small suppliers having difficulties meeting contract requirements.

That's a sure-fire way to discourage a large company from giving a small one future business, he says.

Taking care of details and meeting deadlines go toward helping a small company establish a positive relationship with a large partner.

"You need to understand that no matter how much you want that alliance with them, they're relying on you just as much to bring that product or service to them," Wylong says. "They're trying to do a lot of the same things you are. They're tying to grow and expand their business."