First Index Differentiates Itself From Its Competitors

First Index incorporates two sides of the business – Domestic and Global into one complete solution.  Our Domestic side focuses on the needs of our US and Canadian suppliers, distributing RFQs solely to this market.  We proudly offer a membership where domestic suppliers can be assured their competition will be from the US and Canada only (see RFQ and project samples here).

When you come on board with First Index, it’s safe to assume your quotes WILL NOT be thrown into an online bidding abyss that is accessed by an unknown number of shops, low cost country Suppliers, Reps, Agents, Brokers and others - in an unknown geographic distribution. 

Our Global business serves our larger OEMs’ international sourcing needs and also supports our international suppliers.  However, if you are a larger Tier 1 supplier with global capabilities, you can be considered for international opportunities as well. These two separate sides of our business work hand in hand to form a complete sourcing solution

First Index is built on 5 key business practices that put your marketing far ahead of the competition. We deliver New Business Development Leads and RFQs directly to select Members.

We support your RFQs with features that are filtered and keyed to the work you want to see. How can internet software know your shop’s unique capabilities? It can’t. Our 5 key business practices give you the advantage in winning new business and building relationships with valuable new customers.

1.       ACCOUNTABILITY.   We are accountable to our Suppliers and Buyers.  Your First Index Sourcing Advisor knows that Buyer on a first name basis. Unlike other lead generation services, First Index follows up every RFQ to make sure a successful process has occurred. That said, we do not allow Buyers to incessantly post RFQs without providing feedback or making awards.  We are not in the business of having our Supplier-Members spin their wheels fruitlessly quoting jobs.  As a First Index Member, we will be in contact with you every month of the year.  Our Customer Care personnel make sure that you are using your leads effectively.  Year-long sales support is a hallmark of the Lead Generation Service. 

2.      LIMITED MEMBERSHIP. Direct contact with Buyers---via phone, email, field appointments and fax---is a hallmark of First Index Membership.  If we had an unlimited Membership, we would very quickly alienate both our Buyers and our Supplier-Members.  Buyers would get hundreds of calls and emails and would therefore never post another RFQ with us.  Suppliers would never win work because of the number of bidders. 

At First Index, we limit the Membership such that RFQs receive, on average, three to six quotes.  This is a manageable number---Suppliers have an excellent chance to win new business and Buyers can handle the direct contact from a small group of interested Suppliers.  Other lead generation services send RFQs to hundreds of Suppliers, Agents, Brokers, Manufacturers Reps and Low Cost Country Suppliers.  This bottomless vat of soup is certainly not a recipe for success---for Buyers or Suppliers. 

3.      DIRECT CONTACT WITH BUYERS. Each RFQ has the Buyer’s name, company name, address, fax number, email, website—and in most cases, a direct phone number. You communicate directly with each Buyer—online and offline. We give you the tools and contact information for building a relationship with Buyers from OEMs you’d like to target.  We have found that our most successful Members have face to face meetings with Buyers that they’ve identified through First Index.  Buyers and/or engineers will visit Suppliers for site audits.  Suppliers will visit the OEM facility to more clearly understand their needs.  In addition, Suppliers can work directly with First Index Sourcing Advisors who have a direct relationship with every Buyer.  We are all after one thing:  a successful event for both Buyer and Supplier. 

4.      TRADITIONAL SALES PROCESS---NOT A REVERSE AUCTION. We firmly believe that reverse auctions are inappropriate when it comes to highly-engineered parts As a Member, you will be notified that you have received an RFQ.  You will view the details:  the prints, bill of material, quantities, dimensions etc.---just as you would with any RFQ. You would then follow-up directly with the Buyers. Many of our Members initiate relationships with Buyers from First Index-generated contact and go on to develop long-term relationships with those Buyers.  In fact, you are free to walk away from the Membership, with your new customers, when your Membership expires.  Of course we would like you to remain a Member for years to come.

5.      QUALITY OF OEMs. Every day we go after high quality RFQs from OEMs that are likely to make ongoing purchases of custom-made parts in machining, fabrication, plastics, electronics and other areas. We make hundreds of phone calls and visits to OEM Buyers.  In addition to the thousands of OEM Buyers that source with First Index Members, we have dozens of fortune 2000 companies that have sourcing contracts with First Index.  Generally, these are middle and large market OEMs who spend at least $50MM per year on custom parts.  No other lead generation service has Buyer-Customers who pay a yearly fee to post RFQs.  That’s why we are the most trusted marketplace for custom-made parts.  We get to know buyers, engineers, project managers, senior management and owners personally. We learn what they need and what they are looking for. This advantage is key element in your New Business Development efforts.  Take a look at some of our “PRO” customers on the Buyer pages of this site.