Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1248324
32 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2020 cess, constantly evaluating evolving customer needs. An established, holistic approach to the manufacturing process means you treat each production component as part of a larger pro- duction ecosystem and make it easier to adapt to individual processes and continue to deliver quality. For example, the interaction between our ser- vice and production teams is vital to our man- ufacturing process. When we started working remotely, there really was some uncertainty about the service team not being able to visit the floor to inspect a board with a potential issue or peek around the cube wall to ask a question about a customer design. We innovated. Production managers who want input on a board snap a pic on their phone and send it to someone on the service team. Empowering the team to make these on- the-fly process adjustments keeps production moving and ensures quality. To stay successful as a manufacturing com- pany in this environment, you have to always be adapting and improving. Not doing so leaves you vulnerable to changing conditions, ill-prepared to face new challenges, and less able to deliver quality products and services to your customers. That innovation is as much in culture and organization as it is in tooling and process. Our long-running, employee-led committees, such as the Wellness Committee, were important parts of our decision making and execution. Meeting Changing Customer Expectations In this environment, assurance is a big part of providing value and delivering quality. A lot of our active customers are building products vital to dealing with the pandemic, so reliabil- ity is key. An automated reply or a confirma- tion number is not enough for them right now. If you are trying to produce medical devices on an accelerated timeline, you can't toss an or- der into a digital void and hope someone 5,000 miles away builds your design to specification or helps resolve potential issues with it. Our quote volume has stayed roughly the same since the pandemic took such a big bite out of productivity, but the way we receive quotes has changed. Historically, two-thirds of our orders were made online and only resulted in human contact if there was an issue. Now, two-thirds of the quote requests are phone calls and emails sent to sales and support. By developing and adhering to best practic- es in a crisis, you can demonstrate the ability to dependably deliver quality and service and become the strongest link in your customer's supply chain. PCB007 Matt Stevenson is the VP of sales and marketing at Sunstone Circuits.