Simplifying the quoting process

Advanced Manufacturing

Financial planning is one of the most important activities to ensure the smooth running of a business, and more so in the metal and sheet metal processing industry. There are many elements to take into account within this planning process, but it would be fair to say that preparing quotes is one of the most critical. The quote is like a map for a traveler - it marks the proposed route and, for a business to be managed effectively, this must be as close as possible to reality.

But just as unforeseen events can happen during any "journey", they can happen in a company. Therefore, nobody said that preparing quotes was an easy task, especially in our sector, where there are so many variables involved in the process. So much so that most of the time it is necessary to carry out a complete simulation of the task, taking into account elements including CAM simulations, nesting, control and maximization of processes and machines, selection of materials and geometries, etc.

All this assumes the availability of trained personnel who have acquired these skills over many years of experience, the consumption of resources and, of course, time. Time is an element that is increasingly valuable to customers and manufacturers due to the expectations of the market itself and the demands of the new Industry 4.0 production methodologies.

New times, new requirements, and new responses

In the context of the digital transformation in which the industry is immersed, moving towards more intelligent manufacturing requires more than just speed. Simplicity, precision, and consistency are also important factors when it comes to preparing a quote.

These principles are only achievable if we are committed to innovation and technology, and it is here where Lantek once again demonstrates its competence by offering real answers to the new requirements of the metal sector and making it easier to prepare proposals.

So we are talking about the quoting process in terms of efficiency. To address this, we have made a system available to the industry that allows a consistent framework to be established. Thanks to this, manufacturers can analyze, plan and, of course, quote better and much more quickly and accurately! The secret: combining powerful technologies into modular and scalable software solutions that are perfectly integrated, offering comprehensive business management and greatly streamlining any process.

In this respect, if something defines Lantek’s quoting tools, it is that they are intuitive, easy to use, and allow for automatic and highly accurate quotes in a matter of minutes. They are also characterized by eliminating the barrier imposed by having to have expert technical personnel. That is, it is no longer necessary for users to have advanced technical knowledge of design or nesting, since it is a question of making this process more accessible, simple and "standardized" so that anyone can carry it out. Therefore, we are talking about tools that have been developed to be used by any user to prepare quotes- including machines.

More details

Notable among these solutions is Lantek iQuoting, which allows you to generate accurate and agile quotes and view customer data from anywhere, at any time and from any device. Designed to facilitate the gearing of the Smart Factory, it helps to eliminate production stoppages by eliminating the long waiting times that can occur from the time a quote is requested until it is costed and then accepted by the client.

Lantek iQuoting is an advanced cloud application that connects to the Lantek Expert CAD/CAM solution, enabling fast and consistent quotes with instant access to the information needed for the job. With everything connected, it is possible to collect key information on the parameters to be taken into account (such as part geometry, hourly wages, shipping time, type of material, etc.) all in an instant.

In addition, the cloud makes possible another innovative service for the industry, one that allows opportunities to be identified and maximized and further streamlines the quoting and sales process. This service is none other than an online store for metal parts, called Lantek MetalShop, which is available 24x7 and allows access to additional offers. The operation of requesting and confirming a quote is totally digital. This e-commerce system also helps customers to track their orders, providing total visibility and transparency of the processes.

Another aspect to take into account when preparing a quote is the margin, which can vary depending on the commercial strategy of the organization and by customer. To optimize the management of customers and prices, we offer a powerful CRM system that can be connected to costs for fast and accurate quoting, as well as integrated with other customer management tools available on the market.

Another point to consider is being able to analyze each ratio involved in the quoting process. Having access to the data history with the detail of dozens of KPIs is very useful, as this feeds the business intelligence and enables more accurate quotes to be prepared and more informed decisions to be made. For this purpose, we have Lantek Customer Analytics, which also helps to optimize the management of the quote preparation process.

In summary, as the way of doing business has undergone a transformation with the arrival of Industry 4.0, it is our job to contribute to making the metal sector more competitive and better prepared to anticipate, coordinate and customize efficient responses to customer requests. This is why we want to make the quoting process easier.