In 2013 we changed our name from Grand Rapids Scale to Grand Rapids Metrology to better communicate our expanded scope of capabilities. The word scale has a limited connotation, however the word metrology, the scientific study of measurement, has just the opposite. Before 2013, the services that followed our name were that of a scale variety and not much else, but now our offered services are much greater. From dimensional and mechanical test equipment to temperature and electronic calibrations, our new name is a reflection of our ultimate goal; to be a single source measurement vendor for our customers.
This goal is a great responsibility for us, but we see it as a great opportunity for our customers. Using a single source vendor in any area can be vastly beneficial for both parties involved. When working exclusively with Grand Rapids Metrology as your measurement vendor, here are some benefits you will encounter:
• Lower cost of doing business due to the consolidation of all requirements with one supplier.
• More consistent quality. In our industry, different vendors have varying accreditation standards. Using multiple suppliers, for instance, could result in half of your equipment being A2LA accredited while the other half is only NIST traceable. That leaves a headache for you to remember which equipment has which accreditations (even more so, when do they all need to be calibrated??), but using one measurement supplier is an easy fix to that problem (by the way, GRM is A2LA accredited and reminds you when calibrations are due to occur).
• Customer service relationships improve. When a company has one vendor, the people at that company becomes to intimately know you and your business. The familiarity allows the manager to anticipate needs, find customer solutions for individual customers, and track orders from start to finish. Building rapport with a single vendor encourages the formation of a truly functional working relationship that minimizes compatibilities issues.
• Improved plan synchronization, information exchange, and supplier responsiveness. The heightened relationship, as mentioned above, has rippling benefits.
• Decreased effort to manage supplier performance and relationships on your part because you are tracking only one supplier, opposed to multiple.
• If complications of any type should arise, it is simple to find the source. With numerous vendors, problems could be the fault of anyone, but with one supplier the party at responsible is easy to identify and a correction can be made quickly and efficiently.
• Save time in the procurement phase i.e. the time spent comparing vendors to find the best. If your company already has found a good relationship with a vendor, it’s easier to continue with them for additional products/services.
• The vendor should take on more responsibility. At GRM, we find that making life easier for you is our mission. With features like complete asset management and 24/7/365 emergency service, we take pride in taking the load off your shoulders time and time again.
• It’s just easier– one phone number, one contact, one invoice, one unbeatable relationship.
The road to becoming a single source vendor is not an easy one, but we feel we are up to the task! If you feel there are any areas of measurement you would like to see added to our scope, leave a comment below or call us at 800.348.5701 and we will be sure to address them!
