How To Get a Faster Response To Your Subcontract Projects

Sarah is a sales & marketing content writer, with ten years of experience within the engineering & manufacturing industry.  Working both at Qimtek and on a freelance basis, she can usually be found hammering away at a keyboard or with her head in a pile of engineering drawings. 

engineering technical drawings

In an ideal world, we would all be able to put our subcontract projects out for quote a couple of weeks before placing the order, leaving suppliers enough time to respond and ensuring an optimum response rate. However, in the real world, this isn't always possible. From time to time, we all need to be able to source a supplier quickly for urgent projects that require a fast turnaround.

If you need to source quickly, then here are a few tips for ensuring that your project gets a faster response:

Make Sure You've Included All Of the Required Information:

It's worth spending a little extra time ensuring that you've included all of the relevant information.

When sourcing in a rush, it can be easy to overlook some of the information that suppliers will require in order to provide you with an accurate quote. However, this can slow down the response time considerably, as suppliers will need to clarify and collect any missing information before they are able to quote your project.

Instead, it's worth spending a little extra time ensuring that you've included all of the relevant information, such as materials, finishes, batch sizes, tolerances and delivery dates. A full brief of your requirements will go a long way towards getting a faster response - and also saves you the trouble of answering the same question numerous times.

READ: Qimtek's Sourcing Process - The Information We Need For Your Projects

Expect To Pay a Little Extra:

You may find that suppliers will charge slightly more in return for a faster turnaround.

Just as you'd expect to pay extra for faster delivery of an item you've ordered online, you may find that suppliers will charge slightly more in return for a faster turnaround. This is only to be expected, as they may have to delay other orders to prioritise your requirement.

It's better to have realistic expectations when it comes to the price of urgent jobs. Expecting both a fast turnaround and an excellent price can mean that some suppliers will steer clear of your project, lowering response rates or curtailing them altogether. Instead, something has to give to generate supplier interest - sometimes, it's not possible to get the best of both worlds for urgent projects.

READ: How To Manage Increasing Material Costs

NDA Or No NDA?

Attaching an NDA to your project means that it will take longer to receive a response.

Whilst some projects are sensitive and do require non-disclosure agreements to be signed before drawings can be viewed, it's important to be aware that attaching an NDA to your project means that it will take longer to receive a response. If you've submitted your enquiry through Qimtek's free sourcing service, we will release the drawings to interested suppliers as soon as possible after the non-disclosure agreement has been signed; nonetheless, this is still an extra step that needs to be undertaken before suppliers are able to quote.

Sometimes this is unavoidable, but if a non-disclosure agreement is a luxury instead of a necessity when it comes to your project, then it may be worth foregoing it if you require a fast response. Qimtek offers buyers a closed network of suppliers who are prevented from sharing information with third parties by the terms of their contract, meaning that any disclosure without express permission would automatically mean that our terms have been breached. Therefore, the risk of your information ending up in the hands of third parties is minimal by default, regardless of whether a non-disclosure agreement is used.

READ: Non-Disclosure Agreements & Qimtek - A Guide For Buyers

Provide Clear Drawings:

Good drawings help to paint your company in a professional light.

Just as it's best to provide suppliers with a full brief of what is required, it's also important to provide them with clear drawings that illustrate your required components in detail. Whilst CAD files are preferred, even hand drawings can be just as effective with a little extra effort - the use of a ruler can go a long way in making your drawings easier to understand!

Good drawings also help to paint your company in a professional light, which will encourage suppliers to respond to your enquiry. This is because they demonstrate that you have a clear understanding of what you need and have provided them with all of the required dimensions they need to produce your work to a good standard.

READ: Common Mistakes Buyers Make When Sourcing Subcontract Suppliers

Be Upfront About Your Requirements:

Honesty is the best policy when it comes to sourcing suppliers in a hurry.

Honesty is the best policy when it comes to sourcing suppliers in a hurry and it's always best to be upfront with suppliers about your requirements. Although you may receive a lower response rate than for projects that have a longer lead time (due to the fact that some suppliers will not have the capacity to undertake your work), you can rest assured that the suppliers who do respond are fully aware of your expectations and are in a position to proceed as soon as you give the go-ahead.

READ: Buyer-Supplier Relationships - Why Honesty Is the Best Policy

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If you're looking for a new subcontract engineering supplier, then why not try Qimtek's free sourcing service? We can put you in touch with suppliers who have the capacity and the capabilities to assist, no matter what your required lead time.

Simply click the link below to get started, or contact our friendly sourcing team on 01256 394 500 if you have any questions.

Click here to use Qimtek's free Drag, Drag, Source! service