Project process essentials: Part 1 - Enquiry to quote
Sammet is the global technology leader in industrial dampers. This prestigious position has been accomplished through investment in innovation, accumulated expertise and a strong commitment to understanding customer needs. The result has been the high quality products and services for which Sammet is renowned. What is less conspicuous is the project process employed by Sammet which supports the customer journey from enquiry to delivery.
In a new, three part series, Sammet shares its project process essentials and provides insight into what customers can expect when they choose to partner with Sammet. This series will be presented in three parts: 1) Enquiry to quote; 2) Sales to production; and 3) Delivery and after sales. In this issue of the Sammet Review, the focus is Part 1 - Enquiry to quote.
It starts with the personal touch
When a project is conceived, finding the right supplier can help determine its success or failure. But filling in an enquiry form or sending an email to a potential supplier can sometimes be an impersonal and risky undertaking. Where will the query end up and what happens to it? Transparency about how a project moves from enquiry to delivery can cause consternation among potential customers, especially when there may be concerns about privacy and protection of intellectual property.
Sammet receives many enquiries involving high value, innovative projects. Enquiries about industrial dampers mostly relate to dampers that regulate and control air or flue gas flow, including for power and pulp boiler systems. Isolating dampers are also popular and they are typically used to isolate flue gas in scrubbers or filter gas flows – important for ship owners who are now required to adhere to strict emission targets. Mr Pertti Mehto, Sammet’s Sales Manager is quick to emphasise the importance his team places on providing the personal touch and confidentiality to all enquiries received. “These enquiries are linked to projects which provide the competitive advantage and profits of customers, so we treat them with the utmost care”, says Mehto.
“No matter how you contact us, there is always a real person on the other side of your enquiry”
Potential customers mostly make enquiries via email or by providing a request for quote (RFQ). Some customers upload their RFQ on their web portal and send Sammet an invitation and connection to that enquiry. Some potential customers want to discuss their needs over the phone or ask questions before formally asking for a quote. “Our team is trained to answer any questions customers have. The most popular question relates to the information needed to help create a quotation and we are always happy to help”, states Mehto. Where a customer has a contact within Sammet they can email their questions directly to that person. Otherwise, Sammet’s sales team is on standby to pick up emails received at the sales@sammet.fi address. “No matter how you contact us, there is always a real person on the other side of your enquiry”, Mehto confirms.