Delivering strong customer value

The production process flow is critical to the overall success and goal of a company. At Extol, our Project Management team strives to approach a given task in a productive and efficient manner through fully utilizing their resources and skills from start to finish to deliver a strong customer value.

Project Management Team Leader Scott Tompsett walked me through what a typical production flow looks like from start to finish at Extol. Once an order is received, the sales team provides the quote and detailed customer specifications to one of the project teams. The project team clarifies and further defines the requirements of the project at hand in order to ensure they are on the same page as the customer. This stage is critical since the team must understand exactly how the customer wants their machine to function before moving forward with production. After full clarification, the idea then goes through design reviews for further definition of the overall tool or machine; this stage involves more in-depth analysis and detailed description of the process and production. Next, the design engineers put together all the details, and the project is sent through a set of approval processes for the preparation of manufacturing to occur. Once the okay is given, our machinists on-site begin to work on the customer's order. Our goal at Extol is to keep much of our production in house; however, if we feel certain parts or components need to be outsourced, this is the particular stage in which that will happen. Once all of the parts have been acquired, everything is then delivered to a centralized location on the build team floor for production to begin. The time frame goal for this entire process flow from project kick off, to design, to manufacturing, and finally, assembly, will vary depending upon the specific task at hand. The Project Managers strive to meet and maintain the estimated project timeline that is set at the beginning of the project, while still delivering a complete, well-built end product to the customer.

“At Extol we strive to deliver a consistent, strong, customer value,” says Tompsett. “Whether it is working with our customers, performing various tasks, or ensuring machines are ready for the runoff in time, we care not only about accomplishing these goals, but also the process in which we do so.”  The ability to work well with customers by setting a strong direction from the beginning of a project will determine the success and result throughout the entirety of the project. “In order to ensure this type of service is given, we hold ourselves to a high level of accountability and take personal ownership over the project we are currently working on,” says Tompsett's team. “When the customer comes in for their run-off, we strive to present them with a machine that is ready to go, enabling them to walk away with the keys to their new product that same day.”

"We hold ourselves to a high level of accountability and take personal ownership over the project we are currently working on."

Tompsett stressed the significance of meeting customer needs and wants through the anticipation of the current market demand. He expressed the importance and success of a collaborative workspace leading to a strong communication style being implemented within the company. "At the end of a project, we focus on the lessons learned," says Tompsett. Extol’s success comes through the constant drive to improve and modify our process flow to uniquely fit each customer that walks through our doors.