u/Ill_Satisfaction_773

About six months into the bunker side, came in from outside the industry, still very much learning.

The part I underestimated: how hard it is to get anywhere from cold callingl. We have real coverage across the Med and North Africa and pricing that holds up against what's out there, but I've stopped believing that's enough. Nobody moves suppliers because someone rang them with a good number.

What I'm trying to understand from the buying side:

1. What actually gets a new name added to your panel ,track record, references, or just being strong in a port where your current panel is weak?
2. Credibility : what makes a supplier you've never used sound real rather than like another broker? Physical presence, named references, something else?
3. The ask : is "can I be on your panel as a backup for X port" a reasonable opener, or does that already sound like noise?
4. Channel : call, email, WhatsApp, LinkedIn. Ranked. Honestly.
5. Dealbreakers :what do new suppliers say on that first contact that immediately writes them off?
6. Timing: is there a moment in your week or your voyage planning where a call is actually welcome, or is it always an interruption?

Genuinely here for the answers, not the exposure. No company name, no links.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time.