The employer is trying to understand your supplier relationship philosophy and whether you can balance cost savings with operational reliability, which is a daily tension in events work.
State a clear default approach, then justify it with a short example of how it worked for you. Acknowledge when you would still seek new quotes so you do not sound inflexible.
Start by stating your default clearly: you prefer a small, vetted panel of trusted suppliers, not just one. Explain that this gives you predictable quality, faster turnaround on urgent requests, and a working relationship where they already understand your event standards and your client's expectations. Then justify it with the practical reason that in events, reliability often matters more than the lowest bid, and a supplier who knows your flow can save you from mid-event crises. Be specific about the Philippine context: say you maintain a list of three to four vendors per category, like catering or AV, and you rotate them based on fit and availability, which also keeps them competitive. Then show flexibility by saying you still send out new quotes for major items, especially when the budget is tight or when a client asks for something your regulars have not done before. Frame that as a deliberate check, not a habit of switching for its own sake. Close by tying it back to your role: your goal is to protect the event's quality and the company's budget, and a hybrid approach lets you do both without burning bridges.
A common mistake is to answer too vaguely, like 'Depende po sa event.' Instead say: 'My default is to keep a small panel of trusted suppliers, but I still compare quotes for major items.'
Situation
In our student council, I initially sourced a new souvenir supplier for each event to chase the lowest price, which led to inconsistent quality and late deliveries.
Task
I needed to improve supplier reliability and save planning time while still keeping costs reasonable for our small budget.
Action
I built a short list of three preferred suppliers after evaluating their reliability, product quality, pricing, and after-sales support from past events. I then gave repeat business to the one supplier who offered consistent quality and better bulk terms, while still requesting quotes from the other two for large orders to benchmark prices. I also kept a simple supplier scorecard with notes on delivery performance.
Result
Our supplier related issues dropped noticeably, coordination became faster because the supplier already knew our needs, and we still got competitive pricing through regular benchmarking.
A small panel of trusted suppliers creates backup security and consistency, but you should still compare quotes for major items.
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