[CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO]How to find the right shop

Ok Bill and list,
lets simply turn the position and analyse the question
from an other point of view so that all fellows have their
benefit.

How can someone who has a need for machining or electronics or
what ever find the right shop for the right job?

The secret of that my micro business still exists is that I found
excellent specialized shops for every possible job I might to have
a need for. And I pet this fund like if they were my brothers.

Business is still a person to person commitment, although today
you find huge shops with hundreds of employees. Because 95% of all
machine shops are small and you nearly always look in your
neighbourhood.

First thing in subcontracting is find out the right shop for the
right job you need!
The price is the last thing you look for!

Every shop has his speciality, experiences, strengths and weaknesses.
The machinery is not necessarily the most important factor.
The human factor, experience and quality of workmanship is important.

How to find the right shop?
A) Get recommendations from serious people with similar needs.
Go to professionals with honest reputation for to get real
recommendations.
"The good guys shall keep together!"

B) Confidence cannot be got by an instant, it must be grown.
So my recommendation is for both parts: Be sincere!!!!
The shops have the need of dealing only with serious people, too,
so be serious! And fulfil your word.

C) Ask for the shops specialities and their honest recommendation
for a certain problem.
Often the shop can help you in the future, but a sincere
shop owner will tell you if he knows a more appropriate
shop for your momentary task.

D) Go step by step. Don't hurry or force it.
Make first a little job for testing quality, punctuality,
commitment, price and personnel treatment.
When you are pleased, continue.

E) Collect the recommendations for special jobs (and evaluate the
competitive of the person who did the recommendation) so that they
do not get lost.
In the future this will help a lot.
When you need the recommended shop then recheck with the person again
and get a cross reference from somebody else too.

...

Be sincere and you will get paid back in the same coin!
(or did anybody here in this list ever talk bad about Fred Smith,
Mariss, Jon Elson ....)

That are my 2 cents for the moment.
Good luck to everybody
Sven Peter