From: Andrzejewski, Jan (jan.rp@pera.com)
Date: Fri Mar 01 2002 - 14:04:30 EET
Online quoting may have a negative effect and distance you from your
customers.
The following is an example of how talking to your customer before, during
and after you have submitted a quote can help to gain a sale.
I was asked to quote for a shower mixer as an RP model and gave him a cost
of £1100 for one off. This was given to him quickly and without asking him
anything about the project.
The next day I spoke to him he had found a cheaper quote of £800 for a
quickcast model so was going to give them the job.
On enquiring why he was going to use a quickcast model it came out that they
wanted to have a metal component produced for testing.
They would do hot water trials and check how the mixing of hot and cold
water occurred (to do this they were prepared to machine a window in the
metal casting and fit a Perspex window).
Then chrome plate and add all the fittings, take photo of assembled product
for the company sales team to show their customers.
I then gave him a scenario of what he could do with the model we would sell
him.
Build 1 off SLA model in moisture resistant resin.
Polish the outside to a high finish (not many outside features so simple
quick job to do).
Spray clear car lacquer so that all internal feature were clearly visible.
Send the part to the client.
Client then takes the model to the casting firm to discuss the complex
internal features they would have to core.
Client completes hot water trials by placing dye on the hot water side and
filming the mixing when the thermostat operates.
Client sends back model to have it primed and polished then have Aluminium
metallisation, Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) then stove coating at
temperature to prevent oxidisation. This gives the high lustre of a chrome
finish that is OK for a photographic display.
All that for the total cost of £1220
I asked my client to go back to the previously lower quote and check with
the foundry how many quickcast models do they need to guarantee one good
metal casting (this would be 2). Then add the cost of machining a window and
place a Perspex window. I knew that the answer would give a total job value
of over £1700.
My client came back to me within the hour and gave us the order.
Many months later the word had came back from that client and the 5 man
strong sales team were fighting each other to take the model and show their
customers as it was much better than just the photograph.
The most excitement I get is talking to clients and sorting out their needs.
Online ordering may have many benefits but if it cuts me out from not having
the chance to talk to a prospective client because they may think that my
costs are too high then I am not in favour of it.
If however the client had ordered that very day I gave him that quote he
would have paid more in the long term and I would have lost a sale.
What I would consider installing is a system that speeds up prompt payment
and keeps track of companies that default payments with other RP bureaux.
Jan
Mr Jan Andrzejewski
RPD Project Manager
Pera
Pera Innovation Park
Melton Mowbray
Leicestershire
LE13 0PB
Tel 01664 501501
www.pera..com
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://rapid.lpt.fi/rp-ml/
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