An American customer, Joe, approached us with a requirement for high-performance NdFeB magnets for a medical application. The project demanded magnets with the highest possible energy product in the UH series (> 25K hci). In addition to product inquiries, Joe sought our advice on several technical issues.
Understanding the urgency, our team immediately got to work. At the meeting, we found that it was difficult providing an accurate quote. This is because the customer required special magnets, which custom toolings are needed. Additionally, since these are custom magnets, the reject rate is unknown before sampling. After discussion, we provided a reference quote based on years of experience in the magnet field to facilitate the customer’s cost assessment.
As to the technical questions the customer was concerned about, we provided him with detailed answers and professional advice about the magnet coating.
Impressed with our prompt and professional response, the client quickly got back to us, accepted our advice regarding the magnet coating, and requested an updated quote.
Due to smooth initial communication, Joe was willing to collaborate with us to push this project forward. He also visited LinkedIn to learn more about our company.
Interestingly, Joe seemed to be a dog lover as well; he showed great interest in Jonah’s dog, Pony, and interacted with Jonah on LinkedIn. You know, Jonah is very kind and loves dogs. He has three dogs, one of which is named Pony.
The next day, Joe raised some additional technical questions regarding the magnets.
Recognizing the complexity and potential implications of the application, Jonah convened another meeting with the manufacturing team, and they raised two points of concern:
| Will the product be used inside the human body? If so, the nickel-containing coating could pose a potential hazard to people.
| What is the environment in which the product will be used? Why does the customer need to use UH series magnets?
After the meeting, Jonah promptly responded to Joe with clarifying questions.
Our clarifying questions prompted the customer to re-evaluate their requirements. They quickly realized an alternative approach. This means our advice saved development costs for the customer.
| Supplementary Knowledge: Because of adding more heavy rare earth elements, the UH series of NdFeB magnets are much more expensive than the SH series for the same grade.
Just like our interactions with other clients, our communication with Joe once again confirmed our credo:
| Winning customer trust with clear communication and technical expertise.
| Driving projects forward and enhancing project success rates with a customer-centric approach.
* Feature Image Source: wtsp
