CommercialSales - Customer & Contract Management

IATF 16949 Compliance Overview

This skill addresses key IATF 16949 clauses for commercial operations:

Reference: ~/projects/work/docs/compliance/IATF16949_Compliance_Plan.md

RFQ Processing

Enquiry Receipt and Registration

Sources of Enquiries:

• Email (direct customer contact)
• Customer portals (Covisint, SupplyOn, etc.)
• Phone enquiries (documented immediately)
• RFI (Request for Information) - preliminary

Registration Requirements:

Multi-Functional Review

Before quoting, involve all relevant functions:

Feasibility Assessment

IATF 8.2.3.1.3 Requirement: Manufacturing feasibility must be assessed before commitment.

Feasibility Responses:

Feasibility Checklist:

• Dimensional capability (tolerances within equipment capability)
• Material availability (standard stock or special order)
• Capacity availability (equipment time, headcount)
• Tooling requirements (standard or special)
• Surface finish requirements (achievable with process)
• Special processes (heat treat, plating - supplier capability)
• Quality requirements (Cpk targets achievable)
• Timing requirements (lead time realistic)

Quotation Preparation

Quote Components:

1. Material Cost - Weight × £/kg × waste factor (1.3-1.5)
2. Labor Cost - Cycle time × hourly rate × quantity
3. Setup Cost - Setup time × rate ÷ batch quantity
4. Overhead - Applied per company formula
5. Margin - Typically 25-40% depending on risk
6. Tooling - If customer-funded, separate line item

For detailed costing, use: load QuoteEstimator skill

Quote Validity: Standard 30 days unless otherwise stated

Contract Review (IATF 8.2.3)

Contract Review Checklist

IATF 8.2.3.1.1 requires review of:

Terms and Conditions Review

Standard Terms to Verify:

Special Characteristics Agreement

IATF 8.2.3.1.2 Requirement: Customer-designated special characteristics must be agreed.

Special Characteristic Types:

Agreement Process:

1. Identify all CC/SC from customer drawing
2. Confirm capability to meet enhanced requirements
3. Document in Control Plan and PFMEA
4. Obtain customer sign-off on classification

Contract Award Acceptance

Decision Authority:

Customer Requirements Management

Sources of Customer Requirements

Customer-Specific Requirements (CSRs)

Common CSR Categories:

CSR Register

Maintain a register of all customer-specific requirements:

# Customer-Specific Requirements Register

**Customer:** [Name]
**Last Updated:** [Date]

| # | Requirement | Source | Responsibility | Compliance Status |
|---|-------------|--------|----------------|-------------------|
| 1 | PPAP Level 3 required | Quality Manual | Quality | Compliant |
| 2 | ASN via EDI 856 | Logistics Manual | Supply Chain | Compliant |
| 3 | 2D barcode on label | Pack Spec | Logistics | Compliant |
| 4 | Cpk ≥1.67 for CC | SQM | Quality | Compliant |

Requirements Flowdown

Requirements must flow through the product realization process:

Customer Requirements
        ↓
   Contract Review → Feasibility confirmed
        ↓
   APQP Planning → Requirements in timing plan
        ↓
   PFMEA → Failure modes address requirements
        ↓
   Control Plan → Controls ensure requirements met
        ↓
   Work Instructions → Operators know requirements
        ↓
   Inspection → Verification requirements met
        ↓
   PPAP → Evidence of compliance submitted

Customer Order Management

Order Receipt

Order Channels:

• EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
• Customer portal download
• Email/fax (manual entry)
• Phone (immediate documentation required)

Order Review Checklist

Order Acknowledgment

Response Time: Within 24 hours

Acknowledgment Content:

• Customer order number
• MNMUK order/reference number
• Part number and revision
• Quantity confirmed
• Delivery date confirmed
• Price confirmed
• Any deviations noted

Lead Time Guidelines

Order Changes

Change Management:

1. Log change request with timestamp
2. Assess feasibility within 24 hours
3. Calculate cost impact (if any)
4. Obtain internal approval
5. Confirm change to customer
6. Update system records

Customer Communication (IATF 8.2.1.1)

Communication Types

Customer Notification Requirements

IATF 8.7.1.6 - Nonconformance Notification:

Customers must be notified when:

• Nonconforming product has been shipped
• Product does not meet specification
• Suspect product may have been delivered

Notification Content:

• Part number and description
• Quantity affected
• Date range of shipments
• Nature of nonconformance
• Containment actions taken
• Investigation status
• Contact for questions

Communication Templates

Quality Issue Notification:

Subject: Quality Notification - [Part Number] - [Brief Description]

Dear [Customer Contact],

We are writing to inform you of a quality issue affecting [Part Number].

**Issue Summary:**
- Part Number: [P/N]
- Description: [Issue description]
- Quantity Potentially Affected: [Qty]
- Shipment Dates: [Date range]

**Containment Actions:**
- [Action 1]
- [Action 2]

**Next Steps:**
- [Investigation timeline]
- [Expected resolution]

We apologize for any inconvenience and will provide updates as our investigation progresses.

Please contact [Name] at [Phone/Email] with any questions.

Regards,
[Name]
Quality Manager
Multimatic Niche Manufacturing UK

Customer Satisfaction Monitoring (IATF 9.1.2.1)

Satisfaction Indicators

Customer Scorecard Review

Monthly Actions:

1. Download scorecards from customer portals
2. Review metrics vs. targets
3. Identify any Red/Yellow items
4. Initiate corrective actions for issues
5. Report to management review

Scorecard Response:

Customer Feedback Channels

Customer Complaint Handling

Complaint vs. Technical Issue

Commercial manages the customer relationship; Quality manages the technical investigation.

Complaint Escalation Process

Step 1: Receipt and Acknowledgment

• Log complaint immediately
• Acknowledge to customer within 4 hours
• Assign internal owner

Step 2: Initial Assessment

• Classify severity (Critical/Major/Minor)
• Determine if 8D required
• Identify containment needs

Step 3: Customer Communication Plan

Step 4: Resolution Tracking

• Monitor 8D progress (if applicable)
• Communicate milestones to customer
• Confirm customer satisfaction with resolution

Step 5: Closure

• Obtain customer acceptance
• Document lessons learned
• Update PFMEA/Control Plan if needed
• Close complaint record

Complaint Metrics

Warranty Management (IATF 10.2.5)

Warranty Analysis Requirements

When warranty returns occur:

1. Log return with all available data
2. Conduct failure analysis (including NTF)
3. Link to 8D if actionable cause found
4. Track warranty costs
5. Report trends to management

NTF (No Trouble Found) Analysis

IATF Requirement: Analyze warranty returns even when no defect found.

Integration with Related Skills

QuoteEstimator

For technical costing during RFQ:

• Cycle time estimation
• Material cost calculation
• Machine rate application

Load: read ~/.claude/skills/Quoteestimator/SKILL.md

Apqpppap

For program management post-award:

• APQP phase gates
• PPAP submission
• Customer approval

Load: read ~/.claude/skills/Apqpppap/SKILL.md

EightD

For technical problem solving on complaints:

• Root cause analysis
• Corrective action
• Verification

Load: read ~/.claude/skills/Eightd/SKILL.md

SupplyChain

For supplier-related customer issues:

• Material nonconformance
• Supplier development
• Sub-tier management

Load: read ~/.claude/skills/Supplychain/SKILL.md

Key Documents Reference

Examples

Example 1: Process new RFQ

User: "We received an RFQ from JLR for a suspension bracket"
→ Loads RfqProcess workflow
→ Walks through registration, feasibility, quotation
→ Generates quote package

Example 2: Contract review

User: "Review the contract terms for the new BMW order"
→ Loads ContractReview workflow
→ Checks technical, quality, commercial requirements
→ Identifies risks and required clarifications

Example 3: Customer complaint

User: "Customer complaint from Ford about dimensional issue"
→ Loads ComplaintEscalation workflow
→ Registers complaint, classifies severity
→ Links to 8D for technical investigation
→ Sets up communication cadence

Example 4: CSR management

User: "What are JLR's customer-specific requirements?"
→ Loads CustomerRequirements workflow
→ Returns CSR register for JLR
→ Highlights any compliance gaps

Supplementary Resources

For detailed guidance: read ~/.claude/skills/Commercialsales/CLAUDE.md

For templates: ls ~/.claude/skills/Commercialsales/templates/

For contract review checklist: read ~/.claude/skills/Commercialsales/reference/contract-review.md

For customer portal guides: read ~/.claude/skills/Commercialsales/reference/customer-portals.md