There is an old belief in sales that the real competition begins when the request for quotation arrives. That may have been true once, but it is certainly not true today. By the time purchasing sends out an RFQ for a printed circuit board or electronic assembly, many of the most important decisions have already […]
Tariffs Are Not a Strategy
Every time a new tariff is announced, companies start scrambling. Purchasing managers demand new quotations. Executives order their teams to find another country. Suppliers rush to explain why their prices are changing. Everyone reacts, but too few people stop long enough to develop an actual sourcing strategy. Tariffs matter. They affect PCB pricing, total landed […]
How The Cheapest Board Can Become the Most Expensive Board You Buy
There is an old saying that price is what you pay, while cost is what you live with. Nowhere is that more accurate than in the printed circuit board industry. Too many companies still purchase PCBs by placing three quotations side by side and automatically choosing the lowest number. On the surface, that looks like […]
If You Have Only One Contact, You Do Not Have an Account
One contact does not make an account. If you have only one contact at a customer, you do not have an account. You have a contact. Maybe that person likes you. Maybe she answers every call, sends you requests for quotations, and tells you what is happening. That feels like a strong customer relationship—until she […]
AI Is Eating the Electronics Supply Cha
Artificial intelligence may live in the cloud, but there is nothing light or invisible about the infrastructure supporting it. Every AI model, data center, high-performance computer, and advanced server requires a staggering amount of physical hardware. That means printed circuit boards, advanced substrates, laminates, copper, components, connectors, power supplies, cooling systems, test equipment, manufacturing capacity, […]
Stop Asking for Quotes and Start Bringing Answers
There was a time when a salesperson could pick up the phone, call a customer, and ask, “Do you have anything I can quote?” The buyer might have had a stack of drawings waiting, the approved vendor list might have been short. Those days are gone. Today, that question does not sound helpful. It sounds […]
The Companies That Will Dominate Tomorrow Are Building Their Brands Today
I have been fortunate to spend more than five decades in the electronics manufacturing industry. During that time, I have watched incredible changes reshape the way we design products, manufacture technology, build supply chains, and serve customers. I have seen the rise of surface mount technology, the explosion of globalization, the evolution of HDI, flexible […]
The Companies That Will Dominate Tomorrow Are Building Their Brands Today
There was a time when being a great manufacturer was enough. If you built quality products, delivered them on time, and treated your customers fairly, your reputation spread through word of mouth. Purchasing managers talked to one another. Engineers shared recommendations. Salespeople spent their days knocking on doors, making calls, and building relationships one customer […]
Customers Need Confidence More Than They Need Low Prices
One of the biggest myths in business is that customers buy primarily on price. It is a belief that has shaped sales strategies for decades, leading many companies to assume that the lowest quote will always win the business. After spending more than forty years working with electronics manufacturers, OEMs, and EMS providers around the […]
The Golden Age of Electronics Manufacturing Has Already Begun
If you spend too much time reading headlines, you could easily come away believing that manufacturing is struggling, electronics is losing ground, and the best days of our industry are behind us. Every day there seems to be another story about supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, geopolitical uncertainty, rising costs, or global competition. It is […]