Application of a sales-tool for an optimized tender preparation in small and medium-sized companies

Global competition and the high cost of production in particular in Central Europe are forcing companies to develop innovative products in shorter cycles and to increase the quality of products. To meet the expectations of customers is a key success factor. This paper describes an optimized methodology for fast, high-quality design of individual customized products. For the modeling of product knowledge are presented here methods that are being tested in a benchmark company. Furthermore, software is presented, which allows small and medium-sized companies, to configure products for small batch and single production. The aim is to enable these companies to respond to individual customer inquiries in less time with suitable offers. Index Terms design methodology, complex custom products, early design phases, product configuration