Finding the right business to partner with on a project can be difficult. When that partner is responsible for creating your business’s products and tools, it’s even more important that you do your research on them. Here are the red flags to avoid when choosing a metal fabricator to partner with.

Not Enough Capacity

If you can, visit the shop to get an idea of how many people work there and how much equipment they have. These are clues to how big of a project the shop can actually handle, regardless of what your representative says. One of the biggest misconceptions about metal fabrication is that a flawless presentation from a rep guarantees good service.

Poor Management Signs

To get an idea of how well management does their job, ask your rep how long people tend to stay with the company. Pay attention to how the employees act—if they’re demoralized and overworked, it’s going to show up on their faces. These are all signs that management isn’t doing well and you should partner with someone else.

No Flexibility

Let’s face it; some people are just set in their ways. It doesn’t matter if there are better tools or newer methods out there—they want to do things the way they’ve always done them. Resistance to trying new things is definitely a red flag if your business prioritizes innovation and creativity. You’re probably not going to like working with a business with values that differ drastically from your own.

Negative Reviews

The problem with listening to negative reviews online is people rarely post feedback when they have a positive experience. Seeing that a company has lots of negative reviews doesn’t mean they’ve never had a satisfied customer before.

However, knowing this doesn’t mean you should ignore negative reviews. Look to see if there are patterns in the complaints or if there are specific details about what happened. If the reviews are somewhere public, how does the fabrication company respond? The way a company handles complaints can tell you a lot about what it’s like to work with them.

We hope this list of red flags to avoid when choosing a metal fabrication partner helps you choose the right business to work with. Good management, positive feedback, and a flexible mindset are all good signs you’ve found the right one.