How Our Customer Service Team Sets the Bar for Metal Suppliers

As a whole, the metal service center industry isn’t known for providing great customer service. That’s a tough stigma to overcome, and it’s one of the reasons we’re committed to keeping quality service as a primary focus of our business.

So how does Mead Metals guarantee excellent, industry-leading customer service? And how do our customers benefit from it? Allow us to show you! 

HOW MEAD METALS OFFERS SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

In an industry where being "at the mercy of the mills" easily rolls off the tongues of material suppliers, Mead Metals does the opposite. We take on the liability of mill lead times and transit delays by ensuring stock is always on hand to support our customers and their needs.

You have important work to do. When other steel and metal service centers waste your time with poor customer service and inaccurate lead times or quotes, they diminish your ability to do that important work. We want to be a part of the solution — not a hindrance. 

Here's what makes Mead Metals different than other metal suppliers:

1. We treat new and returning customers the same

Whether you’re a new customer or one of our foundation accounts, we are committed to offering you a good experience. We may not be familiar with your needs yet, but your project requiring flat rolled metal is important to you, so it’s important to us.

We consider every order to be its own contract. Every order and application is different, and we remain dedicated to meeting each one's standards and unique specifications.

2. We don’t discriminate between large and small quantity orders

At Mead Metals, there are manageable minimum order quantities for material or services. Many metal service centers require customers to pay excess minimum charges for ordering small amounts of specialty metals. That’s not in our nature. Instead, our prices are industry-competitive across quantities. 

We have customers who order coils that fit in a UPS box and customers who order full truckloads of product in a single transaction. We believe those two orders deserve equal attention. If you need only four pounds of brass, you need four pounds, and you shouldn’t be ignored or penalized for the size of your order.

3. We offer as many value-added services as we can

Not all metal service centers are created equal. And believe it or not, not all suppliers offer value-added services. 

We know that unless you already own the tools to process your raw materials, these value-adding services can make or break your project.

Between leveling, slitting, and edge conditioning, we have the tools, experience, and know-how to deliver your materials in the condition you need to start working with them right away.

4. We meet our lead times with nearly 100% accuracy

There’s nothing worse than having to juggle lead times for a shipment before making progress on a project. We know this feeling all too well. That’s why we prioritize quoting lead times that are both industry-leading and accurate.

We do that by:

• Maintaining good relationships with both our suppliers and our customers
• Maintaining a robust inventory
• Communicating clearly and openly about what we’re able to accomplish
• Operating our own freight and shipping lines

Today, we’re proud to say that we meet our lead times with 99.98% accuracy.

5. We go beyond selling you what you need

While our goal is ultimately to sell metal, we believe the best way to do that is to build relationships and help our customers with whatever they need. Take this customer whom we helped to find a metal stamper who could consistently meet his needs; before that, he had spent years juggling among stampers that mostly provided inconsistent quality.

And that’s just one example of how we approach our customer-centric model. We don’t tell you what you should buy from us. We listen to what your project requires and help you determine the best course of action.

6. WE'RE AN ISO-CERTIFIED METAL SUPPLIER

ISO certifications indicate that a management system, manufacturing process, service, or documentation procedure has all the requirements for standardization and quality assurance set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Having an ISO-certified metal supplier is the key to quality assurance for your project and compliance with industry-specific regulations, like automotive and aerospace.

If your process or project requires AS9100D or ISO 9001:2015 certification, look no further. Mead Metals has been ISO-certified since 1998, and we’re committed to maintaining those standards for all your needs.

Experience excellent customer service for yourself

At Mead Metals, we believe that exceptional customer service is just as important as the high-quality metals we supply. By treating every customer with respect — whether you're new or returning, ordering a small quantity or a full truckload — we prioritize your needs and ensure you receive the best possible experience. Our commitment to value-added services, accurate lead times, and personalized support sets us apart from other metal suppliers.

Ready to experience the Mead difference? Contact us today to get your next sheet or coil and see firsthand why our customers trust us for their metal supply needs.