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July 19, 2002
As a manufacturer of high-end alloy valves used in very specialized applications, Quattro Alloy Valve on Kelseyville, CA needed more than a simple "online business card." Rather, they needed a site that facilitated the request for quote (RFQ) process and enabled more efficient communication between Quattro and their clients.
With a single valve often costing more than $10,000, much more goes into purchasing transactions that we see on typical e-commerce sites. Valve distributors don't just fill a "shopping cart" and pay with a credit card--rather, they enter requests for quotes, to which Quattro Alloy Valve responds. Once an order is approved, a delivery schedule must be given, materials must be certified, etc. By logging into the Quattro Alloy Valve site, distributors will be able to perform cost-saving actions like checking the status of their orders and download maintenance manuals.
Quattro markets its valves by selling only through distributors--therefore, "end users" (those who actually use the valves) cannot order directly from Quattro. Instead, they can submit RFQs to approved distributors via the site--distributors can then pass those RFQs on to Quattro.
All in all, the process is very efficient, saving costs in a variety of ways. A simple example: typically, detailed valve "cut sheets" (CAD drawings) must be submitted to distributors prior to their purchasing a valve. To cut down on this cost and lag time, registered distributors and end-users can look at detailed CAD drawings of valves via the Quattro site.
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