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If you’re looking to work with MIDFIX - first of all, welcome! – secondly, you undoubtedly have some questions and possibly reservations about what the process will be like.
You probably want to know the ins and outs of each stage, and how we get your order to you smoothly.
That’s precisely why we intend to give you a clear outline of this via this article! By the end of it, you’ll know exactly what to expect once you become our client/customer.
- How are your enquiries and orders handled?
- How are your orders delivered to site?
- What aftersales support can you expect with your orders?
- How is your order billing handled?
- Conclusion
How are your enquiries and orders handled?
The first step of working with us is to send an enquiry regarding what you’d like to purchase. The standard way to do this is by sending an email enquiry to enquiries@midfix.co.uk, but it can be done through a phone call, too. The enquiry will then be delegated to an internal Sales (AKA Commercial) team member.
You will receive a fast response, usually with a quote, within the hour. However, if we can’t give you a quote in that time, you will at the very least still get a response.
We then input the items from the enquiry into our software, review the products, and check for accuracy and stock availability. If some of the products don’t match, e.g. M10 rod and M8 nuts wouldn’t be used together, then we will do what we call a prequalification call.
This is to double-check if you’re sure about the items that you want. If there are any stock shortages, we’ll ask if you’d like to choose an alternative product (that we suggest) or if you can wait before we send the quote in.
In cases where you’ve chosen something in 6-metre lengths, we’ll also ask if you’ll consider choosing 3-metre lengths instead (for ease of transport).
Following the prequalification call, we calculate the price and provide you with a quotation. The quote usually includes how long the prices are held for (this varies depending on the market), lead times, and data sheets.
A fictitious quotation
Once we’ve submitted the price/quote, we like to give our customers a call on the same day, before the order cut-off at 4 pm, to see if you need it for the next day. When the order lands, we of course reply with a thank you acknowledgement! Then send it through to Customer Service for processing where we would also add any special notes that you may have requested.
Now, enquiring about design and prefabrication is a different ballgame! When the enquiry lands, a joint meeting between the Design and Commercial teams and the client will normally be arranged. This is to get 100% clear on what you want and understand the scope and technical requirements.
Afterwards, the ‘Project Proposal Pack’ is populated by the Design Engineer post-meeting and passed back to Commercial, who will add the design time quotation, and send it to you. At that point, the order is placed, the Project Manager is notified, and the Design Engineer(s) get(s) to work!
Subsequently, the design will hopefully get signed off, a quote for the materials is provided, and the delivery is arranged (see below). Hurray!
How are your orders transported to site?
When you place an order, it’s automatically entered into our planning software. That’s when we check through the order, double-check delivery dates, specific delivery requirements and times, and make the appropriate adjustments if needed.
After that, we use the planning system to ‘auto-plan’ the route. It devises the most efficient way, that uses the least amount of mileage and therefore leaves a smaller carbon footprint. Meanwhile ensuring that you, the customer, receive the order within the delivery window that we’d specified.
The Warehouse team will pick and pack the order and load it up in the vehicles in the early morning. You would be informed when the order is out for delivery through a text message.
In most cases, thanks to our high stockholding, we’d be able to get it to you the next day (unless, of course, you’ve specified a different delivery date). However, if there are stock shortages, we will give you notice beforehand.
At the drop-off, a photo is usually taken to prove that the order was delivered (Proof of Delivery/POD). All of our own drivers and most of our 3rd parties use the software to capture the signature (at delivery) digitally, and any specific comments can be added as well. Then our system is updated, information is archived, and we receive the POD.
Often the customer ordering it is not the same person retrieving the delivery. So, if you want to know where your order is, we can give you a specified time of arrival thanks to the real-time tracking attributes of the software. If the delivery has already happened, we can alternatively send you the POD to see when and where it was dropped off.
What aftersales support can you expect with your orders?
After you have placed an order, you can expect plenty of aftersales support as we offer a full backup service.
Any issue or query that you may have, whether it be a missing item from an order, an incorrect item, or simply checking on when delivery is expected, you can ask us and we will answer. All you’d need to do is ring us up!
When an order is despatched, the site contractor will be advised via text that it is out for delivery. As mentioned, we can track deliveries, so we’d be able to tell you when you can expect one to arrive.
With regards to returns, there are certain criteria that must be met for you to be able to return an order. If you’re returning goods because you no longer need them, then we will normally incorporate a restocking fee. Understandably, the goods would also have to be in good, sellable condition.
If it’s something that the Customer Service team can’t help you with, you’ll be forwarded to the appropriate department. For example, if there’s a design issue with something you’ve received, you'll be passed along to the Design department.
How is your order billing handled?
Once an order has been placed onto the system and despatched, we look at the invoice to check it for validity. We make sure that there’s an order number and price on there, and that the invoice is generally accurate. If it is, we raise the invoice and send it to you.
Generally, within 2 days of receiving the goods, the invoice will be with you – that is, provided it’s OK to send out! For example, if there’s no order number on the order, we cannot invoice. In this event, it will be sent back to the person in Customer Services who took the order to chase you up, get the order number and put it into the system to be able to invoice it. This may take up to a week, but usually, if no issues arise, the invoice will be done within 48 hours. Sometimes, you may even receive it quicker than that, but that is the timeframe we’ve set to make sure there’s a window of opportunity in case amending is needed.
So what’s the actual payment process like? Typically, the customer will either pay upfront or we will open a credit account. Anyone can apply for a credit account, and you’ll usually get a response within 24 hours as we aim to action applications in that timeframe.
However, there are certain criteria for opening an account that you would have to meet. If you meet the credit checking and insurance criteria, you’ll have an account the next day. If not, you will, unfortunately, be refused a credit account, but we can offer you a cash sale account.
Conclusion
We hope that this article has helped illustrate a clearer picture to you of what you can expect from being a customer at MIDFIX. We’re honoured that you’ve even reached the end of this article, and look forward to (hopefully!) working with you soon.
