Being a customer-focused manufacturer means more than just delivering parts on time. It means understanding the nuances of each project, anticipating priorities, and adapting our process to meet their exact needs—all before we send a finalized quote to the customer.
At Reata, we’ve taken a proactive approach to this by embedding short customer surveys directly into our RFQ process. Since we first started administering these surveys just under a year ago, we’ve found that they have been instrumental in helping us tailor quotes more accurately and improve our service in meaningful ways.
Why We Ask for Feedback Early in the Process
Most contract manufacturing companies don’t start conversations about customer needs until after submitting the quote. They might use this conversation as a bargaining chip to work off the initial quote, to negotiate on price or lead time in an attempt to win the job. But by then, valuable time is already lost.
That’s why we gather customer priorities before we quote. Our surveys ask simple but powerful questions. The ones that our team finds the most insightful are:
- What matters most to you? Price, quality, lead time, or building a long-term partnership?
- Are the parts prototypes or destined for full production?
These early clarifications help us serve as a truly customer-focused manufacturer, one that adapts quoting, planning, and production methods to deliver the most value upfront.
Prototype vs. Production: Why It Matters
Our surveys also provide us with vital insight into how the part will be used. If we know a part is a prototype now, but likely to go into production later, we’ll plan accordingly. That might mean investing in long-term tooling or setting it up on a machine suitable for future production runs. However, if an RFQ comes in specifically for a prototype component, we won’t over-invest in production setups, saving time and resources for both our team and our customers.
Previously, we could only really predict when a part was a prototype when it was made up of a quantity of one or something close to that. However, we handle aerospace machining projects for many customers whose lifetime volume might only be five parts, so quantity often isn’t the best predictor.
Clue Us in to Your Priorities
Once we know what matters most to a customer, we make intentional choices to balance priorities and deliver the best possible outcome. For example:
- If quality is the priority, we proactively build processes to meet the highest standards, whether that means partnering with trusted vendors known for rigorous, complex testing procedures and passivation services, incorporating additional inspections, or adding extra checks when there’s a known history of design challenges. may select outside vendors known for stringent, complex testing procedures and passivation services, even if they cost a bit more or take longer.
- If lead time is the most important factor, we may purchase pre-cut material, adjust our internal scheduling, or work with vendors who consistently meet tight deadlines.
This level of insight is why we continue to invest in top-notch services that prioritize flexibility, communication, and value. It’s also why our initial quotes are so accurate; there’s no need to go back and forth with revisions!
Relevant Feedback, Impactful Improvements
The insights we’ve gathered haven’t just helped with quoting; they’ve shaped how we operate as a business. For example, after seeing that a majority of our customers prioritize quality over price, we began investing more heavily in quality assurance systems to meet demand.
We also ask for feedback when we miss out on jobs. Whether we didn’t meet customers’ price targets or offered lead times that wouldn’t work for their schedules, we want to know the disconnect. That information provides us with the critical insight we need to be the best partner in the future.
In one particularly affirming survey response, a customer informed us that they didn’t solicit quotes from other suppliers. In their words, “We only trust Reata on this.” That kind of trust is exactly what a customer-focused manufacturer like Reata loves to hear.
The Big Picture: Delivering Value with Every Quote
Our customer-first mindset extends beyond simply checking boxes. It means adapting processes based on what our customers need. Our surveys may be short, but they have a great impact, guiding our quoting, shaping our strategy, and ultimately helping us deliver better parts, strong relationships, and more value with every job.
Ready to partner with a trusted precision machining company like Reata? Request a quote to discuss your next project with our talented team.