Every time we get an inquiry for a non-stock item, we must make a decision.....do we regret or do we go for it? The decision should be based on a variety of factors which, for the experienced sales professional, has become a matter of muscle memory.

For the beginner or, as a brush up for more experienced salespeople, here is a quick guide to help you make the decision....

Pre-Qual Methodology

If the RFQ is received by email, it will often be tough to answer all the questions, but over the phone, we can develop a series of simple unobtrusive questions that will help us develop a score for the requirement.

Pre-Qual Decision Making Questions:

The Customer - Are They....


Repeat/ return customer – add 20 points

New, small customer – add 1 points

Another metals distributor - subtract 5 points

New/ Notable (GE, ITT, Lockheed, Boeing, etc...) – add 5 points

Purchasing Agent or buyer – add 5 points

Engineer – add 10 points

Student – subtract 5 points

From the Middle East – Iran, Israel, Turkey or former Soviet Union countries – subtract 10 points

 

Notes: In order to score this section, you will have to ask questions of the buyer and probably Google their company

 

The Metal, is it.....

 

In stock with one of our best suppliers? - add 5 points

Common grade and form (More than 20 distributors stock it) – subtract 5 points

Odd Size - add 5 points

Odd Grade – add 5 points

Odd Form – add 5 points

Notes: To score this section, you will need to run the RFQ in the MSO database. Take care to consider whether or not we can cut, open die forge, bore or otherwise fabricate what the client needs especially if their score from section 1 or 3 are high. IE – return customer or notable, with a rush requirement.

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The Delivery Required.....

 

Need it yesterday/ plant shutdown/ AOG – add 10 points

Just quoting – subtract 5 points

Notes: AOG is an aircraft industry term that means Aircraft on the Ground – essentially an emergency situation.

Pre-Qual Scoring

 

0-10....REGRET

11-25....MAYBE IF YOU'RE NOT TOO BUSY

26-40......LOOKS GOOD

41-60.....SLAM DUNK!!!! GO FOR IT!!!

This method can and will be tweaked by you and your sales manager and team. It represents a framework that you can use to build an in-house system of prequalification to optimize the time spent and profitability of buyouts.