viper
Titanium
- Joined
- May 18, 2007
- Location
- nowhereville
Maybe more of a rant but want to get temp reading from others on quotes for CNC machine work, milling and turning. Our current customers have been asking us to "requote" repeat work which is a ass way for saying "take less". In most instances, they are reducing qty, but increasing deliveries so they want us to carry them. Duh, typical aerospace BS. On a couple parts we lost, they halved the order qty but instead of increasing price, we just left it the same and that STILL did not get the job!!
We have had several non-aerospace related RFQs recently. I typically ask if they want to provide "target pricing" in which they never do because they are convinced they will get it cheaper otherwise. So, without good drawings and moronic tolerances, we quote with a buffer for all this stuff. THEN, after the smoke settles and we ask if we are even close, THEN they say we were twice the price they need. Now, I realize this is the game we play but I am always irritated to be run through the wringer when if we would have known the numbers going in, we could easily tell them what qty to hit that price or if we can do it at all.
Call it upfront business ethics but anytime I outsource, I try to provide pricing up front as a way to get instant feedback if it is even doable.
In our area, we are noticing the bigger shops keeping all work inhouse and adding machines to do that. BUT, apparently there are still sluts out there that have not died yet because we cannot get one simple job. I guess I get pretty discouraged when seeing 10 quotes go out, not one comes back and if we do get one, we are instantly looking to see what is screwed up about the part that I did not catch that will screw us. Not lose money screw, just not make enough to waste our time screw.
I guess on to the questions, so, in your area of the USA, are you having to slut yourself to get the jobs or are we just not getting the right RFQs? I thought 2008 was gone??? F,n January.....
We have had several non-aerospace related RFQs recently. I typically ask if they want to provide "target pricing" in which they never do because they are convinced they will get it cheaper otherwise. So, without good drawings and moronic tolerances, we quote with a buffer for all this stuff. THEN, after the smoke settles and we ask if we are even close, THEN they say we were twice the price they need. Now, I realize this is the game we play but I am always irritated to be run through the wringer when if we would have known the numbers going in, we could easily tell them what qty to hit that price or if we can do it at all.
Call it upfront business ethics but anytime I outsource, I try to provide pricing up front as a way to get instant feedback if it is even doable.
In our area, we are noticing the bigger shops keeping all work inhouse and adding machines to do that. BUT, apparently there are still sluts out there that have not died yet because we cannot get one simple job. I guess I get pretty discouraged when seeing 10 quotes go out, not one comes back and if we do get one, we are instantly looking to see what is screwed up about the part that I did not catch that will screw us. Not lose money screw, just not make enough to waste our time screw.
I guess on to the questions, so, in your area of the USA, are you having to slut yourself to get the jobs or are we just not getting the right RFQs? I thought 2008 was gone??? F,n January.....