Dedicated to getting things done: 10 questions for Alex Gazzaniga

When it comes to etching projects, being assigned a dedicated account manager is the difference between getting to market fast and ensuring you don’t miss your window of opportunity or the competitive advantage that moving at speed gains.

In the previous blog, the ‘slow and steady’ wins the race approach was debunked, and Phototfab’s speed of response, quoting, prototyping to full volume production, and delivery were outlined as key differentiators in the industry. Photofab’s rapid turnaround service is something the business lives and breathes.

In this blog, we conduct an interview with Alex Gazzaniga to get a little more insight into the life of a project and how dedicated account managers help at every stage of the process.

A keen chef, coffee connoisseur, and family man with a passion for cycling and the newest gadgets; Alex has lots of passions, but the one you’ll be most interested in is his dedication to running projects smoothly, and ensuring that as a single point of contact, he along with the account management team are always the champions of your cause.

Let the interview begin…

1. When receiving an enquiry to quote, what are the typical stages of communication, discovery, and your response time?

An account manager will firstly call the customer or new prospect to ensure that they have a full and detailed understanding of the drawing and specifications of the enquiry. During this call, it’s key to cover anything that might affect the cost. For example, that might be stock metal or a specification on the drawing that isn’t fully understood. We’ll also see where additional processes that may need the involvement of key subcontractors come into play. That will give us an idea of whether we can do the project completely in-house or whether we need to access our robust supply chain or key suppliers with niche expertise.

The aim though is to respond within 24 hours but if it’s an etching only quote, then it’s likely that we will also quote within those first 24 hours.

2. Is there any information required upfront that will help you quote quickly?

Full dimensioned drawings with critical to quality information and all material and finish specs would be the perfect way to speed up the initial response time and make quoting quicker. A CAD file would be ideal at quote stage, and this is certainly necessary for all formed parts. At point of order, an account manager will request a full production release drawing also.

3. What does a typical enquiry for Photofab look like?

We’re specialists in multiple part prototyping on a single sheet (mixed sheet) for design concepts where only one graphic tool is required for design variants on the same thickness metal. This technique is something Photofab has championed for some time so naturally we get requests for this type of project often. It’s ideal for Photofab as it plays well into the full picture rapid turnaround service we offer.

Small volumes with fast turnaround requirements are also typical or one offs with the potential for higher volumes. The markets we serve are often looking for etching manufacturers who have the capacity to turn one-offs and prototypes into high volume orders.

We also get contacted early in the design phase and often provide design guidance and assistance to ensure that a customer’s parts will be cost effective in production. And in a similar vein, we’re contacted about the technique of etching compared to other metal forming processes where customers have found limitations in those alternative techniques.

4. On receipt of an order, how is it processed and what are the key stages to begin prototyping or volume production?

An order will be received by email, where the assigned and dedicated account manager for the job will undertake an initial contract review, and check the drawing number, revisions and other project information is correct. At this stage, they will also check current pricing and lead times based on an open quote, material stock and production capacity.

After a full contract review, the account manager will create the job record for production. Metal is allocated from stock, or a new order is sent to purchasing. The job is scheduled into production based on the required date and a confirmation is sent to the customer.

A new component will require technical review by the graphics department who produce the graphic film based on this account managers review, and the CAD files provided by the customer. At this stage the technical team may offer further value by identifying production improvements which will be directly advised to the customer, and this may result in a more efficient, and therefore faster production process.

5. From initial enquiry, through to production and delivery, how often do you communicate with the customer and at what stages?

We like to keep the customer updated every step of the way so an account manager will communicate as often as required. Initial enquiry may need technical input and manufacturing process support to assist in the design, but the account manager is usually the only point of contact required and can handle most of the technical, delivery and pricing questions. Supporting the account manager as experts in their own respective fields are technical, order processing and scheduling teams. So, whilst the customer will only ever need one point of contact to keep things simple and controlled, behind the scenes is a collaborative ecosystem.

Other forms of communication will revolve around schedule and quality updates. It is worth noting however that every customer is different and Photofab takes time to understand their needs to then ensure the ideal customer service is tailored to them. It is just as important to know which customers want regular communication and which only want to be contacted at the most important milestones, or in some instances, direct communication with other departments such as quality and production.

6. Are there any frequently asked questions about Photofab’s processes and procedures?

As previously mentioned, we often get customers asking us whether etching is the best metal forming technique for their part and we’ll always give an honest reply to the question. Similarly, they may enquire about other services such as metal forming and tooling manufacture, plating, stamping or laser cutting.

The most frequent questions though are around what tolerances we can produce to, whether we have metal in stock, or technical information such as cusp and material/feature ratios.

And finally… What’s your fastest turnaround? A question we look forward to answering thanks to the investment we’ve placed in people and processes to ensure speed is of the essence.

7. In what capacity do you provide technical support, and do you offer guidance to improve designs, or offer advice on manufacturing efficiencies?

Of course, we’ll always offer process support to ensure the part can be made and that it can support both small and large volumes. There may also be an opportunity to suggest design alternations to reduce expensive tooling in forming enquiries and material changes to reduce cost and lead times. 

Mixed tools may be suitable too, especially where many component variants are being considered.

8. How does an account manager provide added value?

First and foremost, they are a single point of contact with a broad technical understanding of the full process from etching to forming and plating. The account managers can read drawings to quickly identify areas of concern too.

Having a dedicated account manager brings tremendous value when it comes to making a customer’s life easy and hassle free. It’s this service that builds trust and develops long-lasting relationships.

Ultimately, the value is in meeting the customers needs and alleviating their business pains. Customer service has the same dedication and weight of importance as the quality of manufacture and delivery.

9. How does an account manager help projects move quickly?

By ensuring parts are quoted correctly, processed through the system with minimum delay, and have considered the full process before production even starts. They will build up a knowledge of the customer requirements and contacts to be able to answer questions quickly and accurately.

10. How many years has the longest standing customer been working with Photofab, and how does the account manager help retain them?

Almost since day one – Over 50 years! It’s an impressive number and it’s down to a combination of lots of different things but from an account management perspective, it’s all about that consistent and constant support for their needs – truly understanding what’s important to them.

Delivering fast communication, reliable delivery schedules and having honest conversations where required is important. The customer is never surprised and always informed. Issues are dealt with quickly and trust is earned and held. Account managers have a large role to play in earning that respect.

I know we said 10 questions, but just as a bonus and to conclude the interview… What’s your favourite part of the job?

Speaking to our customers and finding out what’s important to them. What makes them tick and get up and do what they do each morning. Whether It’s the product they produce or the perfectly managed order book they look after, I enjoy getting under the skin of it all and getting my own kicks out of their passions for their businesses and disciplines.

You may also be interested in…

Nikki Reeds introduces Photofab’s unique rapid turnaround service and capabilities in this informative 2 minute video.

Keep an eye on the blog series

Keep a close eye on the news section and LinkedIn for content in the coming weeks and months detailing Photofab’s rapid turnaround service and the nuances that make it a reality. Next up, the focus will turn to a particular case study that benefited from a rapid turnaround service from top to bottom.

If you wish to learn more about Photofab’s expertise and how you can benefit from the capabilities and services detailed in this blog, use the contact page to tell Photofab what you need and a member of the team will get back to you in no time.