SUBCONTRACTING KEEPING CUSTOMERS SATISFIED
The machine shop at
Get It Made’s Czech
subcontractor
and medical, but they are typically UK- and
Ireland-based, and will remain so. That said,
clients in Northern/Eastern Europe, or even
as far away as Australia and New Zealand,
are served, having found Get It Made
through word of mouth.
The company does admit to having a
sweet spot where its service does
particularly well, and that is high mix, low
volume. “For example, people will typically
say ‘I am prototyping this; it’s 40 parts in
very low quantities, in varying materials with
complicated geometry’. We are their onestop
solution, they haven’t had to go to a
variety of suppliers offering a narrow range
of processes. Compared to certain online
platforms, we are more exible and more
cost-competitive – as a general rule, we offer
better-than-average lead times and prices,
but with a superior level of service. Now,
if we can’t offer what a client is asking for,
we will suggest competitor operations as
part of our level of service.”
PROVEN TRACK RECORD DRAW
Outside of that sweet spot, having
demonstrated its service, Brown says that
larger companies do stay the course for
production volumes, based on a proven track
record of the supply of high quality parts. And
client retention is reportedly high. Smoothy
describes this as ‘stickiness’, a tech sector
term that means clients don’t move, because
there aren’t enough bene ts in doing so.
Basically, keeping the clients satis ed.
Concludes Smoothy: “I believe people
initially trust us because we work hard to
surprise people with quick and ef cient
communication. We do occasionally receive
feedback from clients that they were able
obtain cheaper prices or quicker lead times,
but our impressive communication was what
gave them the con dence to place the order
with us over the competition. If a new
prospective client has to chase you for a
quote or some feedback, why would they
ever commit to that relationship? They
wouldn’t. That is why we are proactive in
everything we do.”
At root, ‘manufacturing as a service’ is
Get It Made’s central thrust; enabling the
manufacture of things for expert and nonexpert
alike, because it has the connections
with the subcontractors doing the work,
provides frictionless experience in either
direction and delivers as quoted.
Currently processing some 10+ quotes/
day and picking up three new clients a week,
this relatively new, small company’s slowly
growing success demonstrates that within
the buyer-supplier space, there’s a place for
many types of organisation, from the
specialist subcontractor selling its services
direct and often locally, to the venture
capital-backed platforms with extra-regional
ambitions.
Get It Made main processes
CNC machining (prismatic, turning); aluminium extrusions,; aluminium die casting; lost-
wax casting; low volume silicone moulding; high volume injection moulding; stamping
(pressing); fabricating; tube and wire manipulation; welding; laser cutting; waterjet
cutting.
16 July/August 2020 | www.machinery.co.uk | MachineryMagazine | @MachineryTweets
/www.machinery.co.uk