Tips, articles, and insights for the metal and steel fabrication industries
Calculating a sales quote for a potential customer in the steel and metals industry is not an easy task. Customers can request many variables and it’s up to the manufacturer to guide them in choosing the right product for the job. Behind the scenes, you have to determine whether you have the right materials in …
Continue reading “Don’t Change Your Quote, Change Your Process”
Read MorePreparing detailed and accurate sales quotes for customers in the steel and metals industry takes time and a great deal of data and calculations. Customers have detailed specifications and you need to calculate material attributes, availability and costs. After fulfilling a customer order, you don’t want to waste valuable time repeating those same steps when …
Continue reading “No Need to Reinvent the Wheel (or Sales Quote) with RealSTEEL”
Read MoreWhile steel service centers and manufacturers may, technically speaking, fall under the heading of manufacturers, they are not at all like most manufacturers. This is a unique industry defined by a vast variety of metals, production operations and customer demands. The business technology often used by other manufacturers does not even begin to address the …
Continue reading “The Metals Industry is NOT Like Other Manufacturing Industries”
Read MoreCompetition is fierce in the metals industry. Steel service centers and manufacturers need to be able to respond quickly to customer needs, meeting tight price points and timelines, or risk losing work to competitors. During high volume periods or in the rush to fulfill orders, manufacturers can struggle to produce the right quantities and maintain …
Continue reading “Finding the Right ERP Solution for Your Steel Service Center”
Read MoreBusiness can get busy and it can be difficult to stay on top of orders, manage inventory and meet customer demands, especially when relying on outdated steel software. You may notice that employees are just as frustrated, managing key data in spreadsheets or, worse yet, in paper files because legacy software has become so cumbersome …
Continue reading “Falling Behind or Losing Data? It May Be Time to Update your Technology”
Read MoreIt seems as though technology is breaking barriers, disrupting nearly every industry sector and it’s possible that the steel and metals industry could be next in line. Additive manufacturing or 3-D printing isn’t a new technology; however, mechanical engineers at the Laser Zentrum Nord GmbH (LZN) research center are using the technique with metal alloys. …
Continue reading “Could the Steel and Metals Industry Be Next in Line for Disruption?”
Read MoreThe steel industry is unique and so is your steel service center and metal fabricating business. Although there are many so called, “advanced” business management solutions in the marketplace, choosing the right solution can still be a difficult task. You need a solution that works the way you work and offers the most up to …
Continue reading “How to Pick the Right Advanced Steel Software for Your Business”
Read MoreMany metal fabricators choose business software that meets a specific need, such as unique accounting procedures or inventory management processes. However, with changes in marketplace conditions, customer demands, or growth, the software is no longer effective and your people use creative workarounds to capture data. As a result, this collection of disparate systems can create …
Continue reading “Are You Getting the Most from Your Metal Fabrication Software?”
Read MoreBusinesses within the sheet metal manufacturing industry regularly face a level of uncertainty in the marketplace. Changes in the oil and gas industry, automotive, exports, and other business sectors can also play an influential role, impacting customer order and operational activities. For many businesses, these changes can create problems or lead to new opportunities. Learn …
Continue reading “Do Metal Manufacturing Marketplace Changes Create Problems or Opportunities?”
Read MoreModern businesses, including steel service centers and metal fabricators, are finding that legacy steel software systems are not keeping up with the pace of change. In order to satisfy customers while protecting profit margins, businesses need quick access to current, reliable data. Don’t make a bad situation worse by replacing outdated systems with the wrong …
Continue reading “Two Important Tips to Help You Replace Outdated Steel Software”
Read MoreAs in many industries today, metal fabricators and steel service centers are facing disruption and marketplace pressures. In response, savvy businesses are taking a hard look at business management systems and software and making changes. But, before making any major changes, it’s best for steel service centers and metal fabricators to ask the major questions. First, …
Continue reading “Questions All Metal Fabricators Should Ask Before Replacing Business Software”
Read MoreSimplicity is often out of reach for businesses relying on complicated legacy systems. For busy steel service centers and metal fabricators, simplicity and convenience offers customers added value in a complex industry. When replacing outdated steel software and systems with modern solutions, be sure the new technology can streamline internal operations, not only to improve …
Continue reading “Why You Should Replace Your Complicated Steel Software Now”
Read MoreSteel service centers and metal fabricators have many variables to consider when estimating a project for a customer. Using disparate systems to calculate job costs could make it difficult to estimate direct and indirect costs. Before replacing inefficient business software with new technology, ensure that the new system can manage all of the data and …
Continue reading “How to Track Job Costs Accurately To Protect Profit Margins”
Read MoreStronger Inventory Management With Stronger Technology Your sales and customer services teams need reliable inventory and supply chain data in order to respond quickly to customer needs. For most steel service centers and metal fabricators, this may be easier said than done. The variables for customer projects are nearly endless and without quick access to current …
Continue reading “How Strong Inventory Management Can Improve Your Customer Service”
Read MoreAs in many industries today, steel service centers and metal fabricators are facing disruption and marketplace pressures. In response, savvy businesses are taking a hard look at business management software and making changes. However, before making major changes, it is best to ask the important questions. Replacing outdated legacy software is a significant decision, yet …
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