“A supplier has to provide a hassle-free service, which in the computer age we live in seems to have been forgotten,” muses Fraser. “An online offering has to be as customer-friendly as if you are talking to them in person. Agility isn’t enough to differentiate the independent supplier. It’s about attitude as well. You need to care to be able to respond. A lot of our customers are similar to us in their approach and that affinity creates an important connection in terms of building relationships.”