There are many reasons why you might be looking for a metalworking supplier. You might be having problems with your existing supplier, you might need new materials, specialised tooling or new machinery to fulfill a new purpose, your business might simply be growing. Whatever the reason, you think of your particular service, product or idea as good, and your goal is to be the best, and stay there. It stands to reason that you would look for the same qualities in a supplier, but when the time comes to make that choice where do you start, what do you look for?
Here are the top five things to look for, to get it right first time:
Reputation, asking around and seeing for yourself
Reputation can be everything; will your shortlist of metalworking suppliers have a good reputation in your specific type of project? As each project has wildly varying requirements, choosing the supplier who can impress the most is important. If they are good, their reputation will mean a lot to them and talking to other companies and past clients can often point you towards the right ones. Don’t be afraid to delve deeper, learn about the certification and accreditation your potential supplier might have, do they have a presence at shows and trade fairs?
Consulting and advice
Nothing beats practical hands-on experience in your field or project, you probably have a wealth of it, but does your potential supplier? Talk to their team, note down some detailed questions, and think about the answers you want. Trust us, if your supplier is worth your time (and money) they won’t mind taking this test, at Selmach we genuinely welcome it!
Showrooms and facilities
Visiting a supplier can often be the best way to get a feel for their ethos, and a showroom where potential clients can see and pre-test machinery under power is always something you should aim to look for. At Selmach, as a part of UKMG we don’t just have one; we have three across the UK, so we know first-hand how useful these can be to our customers.
The after-sales service
Online blogs, knowledge bases and even social media can all be an indicator of how well a supplier not only wins new business, but also takes care of existing customers. Their goal, just like yours is outperforming the competition, with guiding principles of hard work, craftsmanship and particularly helpfulness and generosity with their time. These are all indicators of strong after-sales service
Stock availability
Buying expensive machinery, taking delivery and installation are all big ventures, but what about the small details such as bespoke toolings or consumables? Can your potential supplier make bespoke toolings for unique jobs? Can they source consumables for quick and efficient despatch? Establishing these factors sooner, rather than later can save you time and money.
For information on our showrooms, bespoke toolings, consumables or just for a friendly chat and advice, we would love to hear from you, so get in touch today.
Published 18th August 2018