Maybe some tips?

[ellett88]

I just came across 2 Haas VF-5 3-axis mills. I want to find some work for them but have no real ideas or promising contacts on how to go about finding the work. I've been a programmer and operator for close to 10 years now. I live in southern ontario, canada.

 

Any ideas or tips whould be greatly appreciated guys.

[ToolMan184]

Make calls, Make calls, Make calls

[Surface]

If I understand correctly, you "came across" not one, but two VF-5 and now you want to "come across" some work before you own them.

[ellett88]

No, I DO own them AND a unit in which they reside...

[Thee Dragracer1951]

Promote, promote, promote.

Network, network, network

Call, call, call

Talk to everyone you can think of.

Call every shop in your area.

Call shops outside of your area

Go see them.

In person....

Show these shop owners and purchasing people that you can help solve their daily problems for a fair price.

Fair price don't mean undercutting everyone in the world.

Be on time with deliveries.

Be good.

When you get all those down pat, come on back. I got more. But those ought to get ya noticed.

[Surface]

Dragracer, you offer some good advice. Even though "the business" is machining, if you want to be in "business", sales is the word.

In a long term business plan, undercutting everyone will delay the inevitable. You will be busy going out of business.

Ellett, like this forum, you may be surprised how many shops are willing to help and share. Call them. Introduce yourself. Tell them your story.

Perhaps try networking through websites like www.linkedin.com

If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

 

I think this is the most difficult trade to learn and even more difficult to start a business in. I started my shop 8 years ago and I still haven't figured out how to sustain a steady business flow.

[Thee Dragracer1951]

Surface

True words!

this is a difficult business. I have found though that to achieve sustained steady work, You have to be good. By that I mean, you need to exceed the customers expectations. Every time. I had an opportunity to do some business with a company that I had tried to get together with unsuccessfully in the past. I got a small but important job from them and did well. They have been comming here since for the jobs that need to be right and on schedule.

Call around to other shops. Go see them. Don't lie to them about what you can do or you'll find yourself in over your head.

But most of all...have fun with it. I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing.

[Leigh @ Kodiak]

Although I have no experience using it, I have taken a good look at it, and I really believe if I were to get into my own buisness, I would use mfgquote.com to try and find work. I wouldnt use it exclusively though, the "call-call-call, network-network-network" method can offer great results too.

[Thee Dragracer1951]

Have you ever known ANYONE that had anything good to say about MFGQuote?

I certainly haven't

[ToolMan184]

quote:

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I would use mfgquote.com

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I wouldnt unless I wanted to starve to death. You will be quoting against 20-100 different shops. They are looking for price ONLY.

 

You have to be willing to do a job at 3am or at 4pm on Friday. Thats how we got our foot in the door at most of the customers we have now. Then you better have good quality, and deliveries. We have a higher shop rate than anyone in our area and we have more work than any of them. That tells me that price isnt always what their after. Yes, you will have some that looks at price only. Thats the customers you dont need. If they want to shop at Wal-Mart, let them, when their in a pinch you can shoe them price isnt anything.

 

I had 1 possible customer that I tried for 2 years to get into. They keep saying I couldnt compete with Korea or China. One Saturday they had a machine that went down and called me, I said (in a political way) to call Korea or China they may be able to help. Since then they have been one of my best customers. Sometimes you have to stand your ground. But, if you start out getting the reputation you are cheap, they will beat you to death every day.

 

Starting out and doing a few jobs cheap is not a bad thing. That way a customer can see what you can do. If you give them quality and delivery everything else will fall in place.

 

I started my shop in 2000 when the economy was going down. Then 9-11 happened, but, I have grown every year about 20%. I always look at it like I may be the next shop to close. So we take alot of work and work 10 hrs. a day. We always look for new customers.