How to Implement Automated Quoting with aPriori

The Problem with the Traditional RFQ Process

Team Industries is a manufacturing supplier specializing in designing and manufacturing systems that transmit power and put it to work quietly and efficiently. They develop supply drive-train, chassis components, and assemblies for the recreational vehicle market.

In the world of instant information, being the first quote in is critical to winning new business. This process makes it extremely difficult to respond to quotes in a timely manner with accurate information.

Because of this manual process, there are often overlapping and duplicate efforts. And with so much variation in pricing information, suppliers tend to pad the quote to protect their bottom line. All of which can lead to lost business.

Disadvantages of a Manual RFQ Process

Many manufacturing suppliers still rely on bulky and sometimes inaccurate spreadsheets to build a Request for Quote (RFQ). 

At times, the supplier uses historical quotes which may be out of date, or uses details from their ERP pricing system.

These systems present unique challenges. Most often, they tend to produce massively different estimates depending on the individual gathering the data, and the sourcing of the data. 

Not to mention that the entire process is time consuming, labor intensive, and extremely hard to keep track of.

Bottom line?

Manual RFQ processes make it extremely difficult to be the first to respond to the quote. 

And in the world of instant information, being the first “in” is critical to winning new business. 

How TEAM Industries Achieved Automated Quoting with aPriori

Utilizing aPriori’s digital manufacturing simulation software to automate the RFQ process has many benefits. Here are just some of the advantages to suppliers: 

1. aPriori provides access to state-of-the-art geometry extraction that allow sestimators to conduct rapid and consistent estimating with the bonus of identifying manufacturability issues to add value to your estimate.
2. Digital factories that allow you to run rapid and comprehensive full manufacturing simulations in a digital environment and run cost estimations using YOUR OWN operations as a guide.
3. Conduct cost estimates from all of your facilities around the globe, enabling you to evaluate manufacturing options from several facilities at once. See real-time cost data for your machines, materials, and overhead costs in just a manner of minutes.
4. Bring your entire team onto the same page, no matter where they are in the world, enabling true cost collaboration by providing a single cost database and architecture to allow estimators, engineers, manufacturing, buyers, and executives to quickly collaborate on cost estimates for accurate rapid RFQ responses.
   

Watch how Team Industries was able to achieve automated quoting with aPriori in this video: