All Case Studies
Manufacturing • 45 Employees

Custom Metal Fabrication: 10× Faster Quotes

From 3-day quote turnaround to 4 hours with automated quoting engine

$120k+
Annual Value Created
10×
Faster Quoting
16%
Fewer Late Deliveries
6.2 mo
Payback Period

The Problem

A 45-person custom metal fabrication shop was losing business to slow quotes:

  • Quote generation took 2-3 days (CAD files → pricing → proposal)
  • Using NetSuite ($2,800/month) but only for basic inventory tracking
  • Production scheduling done on whiteboards (!)
  • Customer portals = shared Dropbox folders (security nightmare)
  • Lost quotes to competitors with faster turnaround

Week 1: Factory Floor Deep Dive

We spent 2 days on the shop floor observing:

  • Watched material flow and identified bottlenecks
  • Analyzed 6 months of quotes (win rate vs turnaround time correlation)
  • Interviewed shop floor managers and estimators
  • Documented CAD → quote → production workflow
  • Discovered: Win rate was 78% when quotes sent within 1 day, only 42% after 3 days

Week 2: Build Working Prototypes

Prototype 1: Automated Quoting Engine

Upload CAD file → AI extracts dimensions. Material cost calculator with live pricing from suppliers. Labor estimation based on historical data. PDF quote generated automatically.

→ Reduces quote time from 3 days to 4 hours = 10× faster

Prototype 2: Customer Portal

Project status tracking with live updates. Secure document sharing (specs, drawings, invoices). Change order request system. Email notifications for milestones.

→ Reduces 40+ weekly customer service calls

Prototype 3: Digital Production Dashboard

Digital version of whiteboard with drag-and-drop. Real-time machine utilization tracking. Order priority alerts. Mobile app for shop floor tablets.

→ Improves on-time delivery from 73% to projected 89%

Week 3: NetSuite Integration & Training

We didn't abandon their existing investment:

  • Built custom reports NetSuite couldn't provide out-of-box
  • Integrated new quoting system with NetSuite inventory
  • Created training plan for shop floor tablets
  • Supplier API documentation for material pricing

The Results

Measurable Impact:

  • 15% increase in quote volume capacity (same staff)
  • Quote win rate improved from 42% to 68% (faster turnaround)
  • 40 hours/week saved in customer communications
  • 16% reduction in late deliveries
  • Customer satisfaction score: 3.8 → 4.6 stars

Total Annual Value: $120,000+

Investment: $10,000 audit + $52,000 full build = $62,000

Payback Period: 6.2 months

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