How to write a vendor report that keeps your vendors happy
Vendors rarely complain about bad news delivered well. They complain about silence. A clear, regular vendor report is one of the simplest ways to build trust during a campaign.
What vendors actually want to know
Most vendors are asking themselves three questions throughout a campaign: is anyone interested, what do they think, and are we on track? A good report answers all three at a glance.
The six parts of a great vendor report
1. Activity
How many groups came through, how many came back for a second look, and how many asked for the contract. Simple numbers are reassuring, and trends over several open homes are even better.
2. Buyer interest
Show how interested buyers are, from “not for us” to “ready to offer”. A simple bar chart says more than a paragraph.
3. What buyers loved
The features that come up most often. These confirm the campaign is highlighting the right things, and give your vendor something to feel good about.
4. Common concerns
Be honest about what is holding buyers back, such as price, parking or noise. Presented as patterns rather than individual complaints, concerns become a calm, factual basis for price conversations.
5. Buyers in their own words
A few short, anonymous quotes bring the numbers to life. Leave buyer names out, so the report respects buyer privacy.
6. Offers and your recommendation
List every offer with its terms and status, then add your written update: what you are seeing, what you recommend and what happens next.
How often to update vendors
- After every open home, ideally the same day.
- Whenever an offer comes in.
- With a written summary at least weekly, more often in the final week before auction.
Things to avoid
- Naming buyers. Keep buyer details private and share patterns instead.
- Only sharing good news. Vendors who hear about concerns early are far easier to guide on price later.
- Long PDFs nobody reads. Lead with the numbers and keep your commentary short.
- Inconsistent timing. Regular updates build trust even when there is little to report.
A vendor report as a listing tool
Showing a prospective vendor exactly what they will receive is a strong point of difference in a listing presentation. It tells them they will never be left wondering how their campaign is going.
Every Openy listing gets a live vendor report built automatically from sign-ins and buyer feedback. Open the sample report to see it.