Coated fabric applications are highly dependent on the specifications and overall quality. Having the right supplier can make all the difference when it comes to making the best choice. The right supplier will not stop at simply shipping what you want. Instead, you get access to a dedicated team of experts and a thorough customization process.
At E2, we developed a unique and effective process designed to leverage our experience, production capabilities that ensures the best coated fabric product for your application.
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The importance of communicating with your coated fabric supplier
Having a coated fabric purchase process is crucial for the quality and reliability of the product you choose. The right choice depends on a combination of several essential factors.
We believe the best results all begin in ensuring consistent two-way communication. The more details you can provide will directly affect the quality and performance of your product.
The E2 process for the exact coated fabric for your project
Aligning the expectations from the beginning is crucial for any partnership with a coated fabric supplier. The overall process is longer and requires more insights from you than you might expect. However, the end results will be worth the effort.
With our decades of experience in the coated textile market, we developed a systematic and streamlined process to ensure strategic alignment with its customers’ demands. The seven-step process begins as soon as you contact E2.
Step 1: A brief of what you require
From E2‘s perspective, the initial communication determines the most important factor that concerns the customer. At this stage, customers communicate their requirements and the application parameters of the coated fabric they need for their application.
Most often, the need for finding a new coated fabric stems from one of the following reasons.
- Business competition
- Poor performance
- Product enhancement
- Economics
Step 2: Product Specification
The second step goes into the details of your product. In the best-case scenario, E2 receives the actual product sample to run tests and determine the requirements. E2 then will provide samples with your desired characteristics.
Step 3: Go through the spec sheet and the sample
Once you’ve received the coated fabric specifications and samples, you’ll run your own tests and analyze them to determine if they are up to your requirements. The next step begins after E2 receives the confirmation from the client.
Step 4: Say yes! And get a price quotation
With the coated fabric specifications decided, E2 sends a price quote based on your solution factoring in the complexity, quantity, and availability of the coated fabrics.
Step 5: Finalize it all with a purchase order
With all the details finalized, you’ll need to formalize the process with a purchase order.
Step 6: determining the payment method
This step generally takes place before the purchase order if you are establishing a credit line with E2. A credit report is processed and helps E2 decide whether to open a credit line or proceed with other payment methods.
Step 7: Sit back and let us take care of the rest
With all the formalities completed, your order either gets processed to the warehouse or the manufacturing section for further processing. For production products, processing from the warehouse only requires a maximum of 48 hours, while manufacturing can take a few weeks. In any case, you’ll be notified of the expected delivery date and kept in the loop throughout the process.
The Ideal Timeline
The ideal sales process takes about a month from the day you order. Suppose you decided to approach E2 with your product requirements. The ideal timeline will look like this.
- Sep 1st: Request for product
- Sep 1st: Prospect sends the sample
- Sep 7th: E2 receives the sample and conducts tests in the lab
- Sep 14th: E2 determines the right product and sends samples with the spec sheets.
- Sep 21st: Prospects receives sample and spec and confirm it fits their needs
- Sep 21st: Customer accepts E2‘s provided price and issues the purchase order
- Sep 28th: Product is delivered
The time for you to get the product depends on whether your product is in stock or needs to be produced. Your order will be processed in 48 hours and arrive by 28th September if you’ve ordered a standard product available in stock. For manufacturing special products or something that’s not available in stock, the production process can take 3 – 8 weeks. In that case, your order will arrive before 28th of November.
The ordering issues you can avoid with E2
When it comes to coated fabric products, the most common challenges and delays stem from the following 3 sources.
- Lack of communication: This happens when the supplier and the customer don’t communicate regarding the coated fabric requirement and product application. In most cases, deviations from the requirement are discovered only after it’s too late, and the coated fabric is already delivered to the customer.
- Supply chain inefficiencies: Unavailability of raw coated fabric, shipping delays, and other issues can affect the supply chain. These things are not entirely in your coated fabric supplier’s control. However, the risks can be minimized with prior planning.
- Process delays: The sale process requires the ball to go back and forth between the coated fabric supplier and the customer. Sometimes, the customer doesn’t expect to receive samples, specs, or other details at a particular time and is not ready to start testing. Having transparency in the timeline can generally mitigate this issue effectively.
All of these issues are common and may cause a significant delay for you. However, you don’t have to worry about that with E2.
With decades of experience and efficient processes, E2 has minimized the chances of most of these issues from happening. From the initial communication to the final delivery, E2 remains connected with its customers and does everything possible to ensure that you get the best coated fabric within the shortest time.
