Customer service & RFQ desk · Metal fabrication & machining
Turn RFQs around before the shift starts.
An RFQ lands after hours with a drawing and a quantity break, and the estimator still has to price material, setup, and cycle time. A competitor answers first.
The reality
Quoting is a turnaround problem.
The RFQ comes in at 6pm with a print, a tolerance callout, and quantities of 50 and 500. By the time someone reads the drawing, looks up plate cost, estimates the laser and brake time, and applies margin, two days have passed and the customer has already placed the job elsewhere.
The operator owns the RFQ desk end to end: it reads the drawing and quantities, estimates material and process cost from current pricing and standards, drafts the quote for review, and sends a clear answer — so an RFQ that arrives after hours is priced and back before the morning shift.
How the operator runs customer service & rfq desk
RFQ-9032 · Intake
reading- Drawing and rev parsed
- Material 304SS, qty 50 / 500 captured
- Tolerance callout reviewed
01Read the RFQ
Parses the drawing, material callout, tolerances, and quantity breaks from the incoming request.
Estimate · RFQ-9032
pricing- Material cost from current plate price
- Setup and cycle time estimated
- Margin applied per quantity break
02Price the work
Estimates material cost and setup and cycle time from current pricing and shop standards, then applies margin.
Quote Q-3401 · Send
sending- Quote drafted for review
- Lead time pulled from schedule
- Quote sent to customer
03Send the quote
Drafts the quote for review and sends a clear answer with price, lead time, and quantity breaks.
The outcome
−65% of quote response time
Quotes turned fast, customers get clear answers.
- An after-hours RFQ is priced and back before the morning shift
- Every quote uses current material price, not stale standards
- Customers get a clear answer before a competitor responds
Common questions
Customer service & RFQ desk
- What does the Customer service & RFQ desk operator do?
- The operator owns the RFQ desk end to end: it reads the drawing and quantities, estimates material and process cost from current pricing and standards, drafts the quote for review, and sends a clear answer — so an RFQ that arrives after hours is priced and back before the morning shift.
- What impact does the Customer service & RFQ desk operator have?
- −65% of quote response time. Quotes turned fast, customers get clear answers.
- How does the Customer service & RFQ desk operator work?
- Parses the drawing, material callout, tolerances, and quantity breaks from the incoming request. Estimates material cost and setup and cycle time from current pricing and shop standards, then applies margin. Drafts the quote for review and sends a clear answer with price, lead time, and quantity breaks.
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