Getting more laser cutting work is not only about owning a good machine or offering the lowest price. Customers also want fast quotations, reliable delivery, accurate parts and clear communication.
For a new laser cutting or fabrication business, the following steps can help you find suitable customers and convert more enquiries into profitable orders.
Step 1: Decide What Work You Want
Start by identifying the type of work that suits your equipment and experience.
Write down:
- Materials you can cut
- Minimum and maximum thickness
- Maximum sheet size
- Cutting tolerances
- Available production capacity
- Drawing formats you accept
- Normal delivery time
- Additional services you provide
Additional services could include bending, deburring, tapping, welding, powder coating, painting and delivery.
Do not try to quote every enquiry. Focus on jobs that match your machine, available labour and workshop capacity.
Step 2: Find Suitable Customers
Many industries regularly require laser cut parts. Potential customers include:
- Fabrication businesses
- Engineering workshops
- Machinery manufacturers
- Electrical enclosure manufacturers
- Commercial kitchen manufacturers
- Trailer builders
- Sign manufacturers
- Architectural metalwork companies
- Agricultural equipment businesses
- Construction contractors
Start with businesses located close to your workshop. Local customers may value faster delivery and easier communication.
Before contacting a company, visit its website and understand what it manufactures. Your introduction should explain how your laser cutting service can assist its particular business.
Step 3: Prepare a Capability Sheet
Create a simple one or two page capability sheet showing what your business can provide.
Include your:
- Business and contact details
- Workshop location
- Machine capacity
- Maximum sheet size
- Supported materials and thicknesses
- Available secondary operations
- Accepted drawing formats
- Typical lead time
- Quality certifications, if applicable
Include clear photographs of parts you have actually produced. This gives potential customers more confidence than using general stock images.
Make it easy for customers to request a quote. Ask them to provide a DXF, DWG or STEP file, along with the material, thickness, quantity, finish and required delivery date.
Step 4: Check the Drawing Carefully
Do not calculate a price based only on the overall part dimensions.
Before quoting, check:
- Drawing scale
- Open contours
- Duplicate lines
- Very small holes
- Material and thickness
- Part quantity
- Required tolerances
- Drawing revision
- Bending and fabrication requirements
Poor drawings may produce incorrect cutting lengths and processing times. They can also create problems during programming and nesting.
If information is missing, ask the customer before completing the quotation. Record any assumptions clearly in the quote.
Step 5: Calculate the Complete Job Cost
The quotation must cover more than the laser cutting time.
Consider:
- Material
- Sheet utilisation and scrap
- Cutting length
- Piercing time
- Rapid movement
- Machine hourly rate
- Programming and setup
- Labour
- Consumables
- Deburring
- Bending
- Welding
- Powder coating or painting
- Packing
- Delivery
- Overheads
- Profit margin
A simple calculation is:
Quoted price = Material + Machine cost + Labour + Additional processes + Overheads + Profit
Use the same costing method for every quotation. If different employees use different methods, similar parts may receive very different prices.
A small job can still require drawing checks, programming, material handling, setup, paperwork and packing. Consider applying a minimum order charge to recover these costs.
Step 6: Send a Clear Quotation Quickly
Customers often send the same enquiry to several suppliers. A fast and professional response can improve your chance of winning the order.
Every quotation should show:
- Quote number and date
- Customer name
- Drawing number and revision
- Material and thickness
- Quantity
- Unit and total price
- Additional operations
- Delivery cost
- Expected lead time
- Quote expiry date
- Payment terms
- Any exclusions
Do not use unclear descriptions such as “metal parts.” Use the customer’s part number and description.
Quoting software can help store material prices, machine rates, cutting data and additional process costs. It can also help different employees prepare quotations using the same business rules.
Step 7: Follow Up and Record the Result
Do not send a quotation and simply wait.
Contact the customer after a reasonable period and ask whether the quote was received or whether the quantity, material or delivery date has changed.
If you did not win the order, politely ask why. Common reasons may include:
- Price
- Delivery time
- Slow response
- Material availability
- Customer project cancellation
- Existing supplier relationship
Record the result of every important quotation.
Monitor the number of quotes sent, orders won, total value won, response time and reasons for losing work. This information will show which customers and types of jobs are most suitable for your business.
Do Not Compete Only on Price
The lowest price does not always win.
Customers may pay more for reliable delivery, consistent quality, fast communication, drawing assistance and complete fabrication services.
Your goal should not be to win every quotation. The goal is to secure suitable work at a price that covers your costs and provides a reasonable profit.
Final Thoughts
Securing more laser cutting contracts requires a consistent process. Find suitable customers, make it easy to request a quote, check every drawing, calculate the complete cost, respond quickly and follow up professionally.
Smart Cut Quote helps laser cutting businesses calculate material, cutting, piercing, machine and additional process costs using their own business settings.
For more information about Smart cut Quote Software and product inquiries, please contact us at https://nctools.com.au/ or call us on +61 3 8618 6884
Or Visit https://smartcutquote.com/
