Summary. Traditional customer service practices are no longer sufficient in contract manufacturing. While many companies offer similar capabilities in metal fabrication and manufacturing, only a few embody a truly customer-centric culture—one that prioritizes the client’s goals with unwavering dedication, responsiveness, and partnership. This article emphasizes that exceptional contract manufacturing partners go beyond just delivering services; they live and breathe a customer-centric mindset.
Three key attributes define this culture: proactive and responsive communication, perseverance in problem-solving, and viewing projects through the customer’s perspective. Proactive communication is critical, especially for clients unfamiliar with outsourcing or complex electromechanical assembly. Timely updates and responsiveness can prevent costly missteps. In facing challenges, true partners don’t settle for “good enough.” They exhaust every option—even seeking external help—to ensure success. Lastly, empathetic manufacturers treat every project with the urgency and concern it deserves, especially for high-mix, low-volume jobs requiring adaptability.
For routine jobs, most manufacturers suffice. But when stakes are high, and complexity is unavoidable, a partner who shares your vision and commitment can make all the difference in achieving successful outcomes.
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There are many choices engineers have when the need arises for a contract manufacturing or metal fabrication partner.
On the surface, many contract manufacturing companies offer seemingly similar, or at times, nearly identical services.
However, when it comes to choosing the right partner, only a select few truly deliver what customers value most in a partnership: a genuine desire and commitment to doing whatever it takes to help clients reach their goals efficiently, cost-effectively, and with a seamless project experience, no matter how challenging or complex the work may be.
In other words, a full service contract manufacturer that takes customer service so seriously that the company lives and breathes a customer-centric culture.
What does it mean to live and breathe a customer-centric culture?
While attributes such as precision metal fabrication capabilities, service offerings, cost efficiencies, and quality remain vital in contract manufacturing, consistently delivering a customer-centric service experience resides at the pinnacle of a strong relationship and partnership.
The top three attributes that contribute to a customer-centric culture include: 1) proactive and responsive communication, 2) problem-solving perseverance, and 3) viewing every project through the same lens as the customer.
Proactive and Responsive Communication
Customers — especially those who are new to outsourcing and working with a contract manufacturing partner, have many questions and concerns about the process involved with producing their parts. Many times, their job security and personal credibility depend on the success of the projects they take on, making each a high-stakes endeavor.
A contract manufacturer with a customer-centric culture and mindset will be proactive in their communications, keeping customers updated on the progress of their projects and highly responsive to customer questions and inquiries.
Communication is particularly critical in value-added electromechanical assembly services, where multiple components, vendors, and timelines must come together seamlessly, and one small hiccup can derail a project. Here, proactive and responsive communication helps prevent surprises and mitigates any risk of a project going sideways.
Problem-Solving Perseverance
Even with the best project planning and preparation strategies, unexpected events or anomalies can impact costs, timelines, or even a product’s manufacturability. Projects that are more innovative in nature, or those that test the boundaries within unique applications, may also encounter issues that could throw a project off course.
These are the types of situations where creative problem-solving skills must enter the equation, and the way your contract manufacturer approaches problems determines if they are merely a vendor or a true partner.
A typical contract manufacturer or metal fabricator will do exactly what is expected when encountering a problem — they will research possible solutions, run some tests, and bring the customer into the know about the problem.
If the problem is too complex for them to overcome, or if they feel it is not worth their time to go deeper to find a solution, they will either back out of the project altogether or produce an inferior ‘good enough’ product that ‘should’ work.
A true partner takes on each challenge as a personal challenge because they know their customer is counting on them to make their project a success. A true partner will exhaust all resources and will have no hesitation seeking outside support, even from a competitor, when needed, because their desire to make their customer a hero is what’s most important.
Viewing every project through the same lens as the customer
Part of living a customer-centric culture is following the adage of “putting yourself in your customers’ shoes.”
Nearly all customers that contract manufacturers and metal fabricators work with have either an urgency, a unique need, a special situation, a rare circumstance, or a combination of all five. These are the customers who lay awake at night hoping they can find a partner who can and will work with them to fulfill their needs.
Most contract manufacturing and metal fabrication companies will explain what they can do, including how their process works and how they work with different types of projects. They will claim to do their best, but if the project is too much work or too big of a pain, they may not go very far above or beyond to help the customer.
A customer-centric partner will hear the concern and urgency in the customer’s voice, knowing that the pressure is on, and will tell the customer to come on in to meet with their team to figure out an action plan. This is particularly important for high mix low volume contract manufacturing projects, where flexibility and adaptability are key.
Parting thoughts…
Just about any contract manufacturing or metal fabricating company can run simple jobs. Take your pick. There are many to choose from, and chances are they will do a good enough job for your needs, and you will be satisfied.
However, when you have that special, unique, or high stakes project where the pressure is on for it to be successful, your best chance of success is finding a true partner that understands the importance and significance of what needs to be done, and who will do whatever it takes to get your job done to meet your expectations.
About Mathison Manufacturing
Founded in 1959, Mathison Manufacturing is a trusted partner in precision contract manufacturing, specializing in tight-tolerance sheet metal fabrication, electromechanical assemblies, and complex, high-end solutions. Known for exceptional craftsmanship, responsive service, and a customer-first mindset, Mathison is dedicated to delivering quality products and building lasting partnerships that help customers grow.
Let’s work together on your next project! Contact us today!