Stop Wasting Time on Low-Quality Leads Prioritize Prospects That Actually Need Your Custom Metalwork
In the fabrication world, 80% of leads from trade shows or online inquiries never pan out, leaving your team chasing ghosts instead of building profitable jobs. Our custom lead scoring flips that—boosting conversion rates by 3x without the guesswork.
Join 150+ businesses with 40% higher close rates
The "Lead Overload" Problem
Your inbox floods with vague inquiries from small machine shops needing quick prototypes, but they rarely turn into repeat fabrication contracts for structural components
Estimators spend hours reviewing leads that don't match your CNC machining tolerances or material specialties like stainless steel alloys, delaying real bids on high-volume jobs
Trade show contacts pile up, but without scoring, you're quoting custom steel frames for clients who bail due to budget mismatches on load-bearing assemblies
Online forms capture leads from general contractors, yet most lack the project timelines that align with your shop's production schedule for sheet metal fabrication runs
Your sales team chases every RFP, only to find half aren't viable for your welding expertise in TIG processes or lead times for assembly line integration, burning out resources
Referral leads sound promising, but without data on their fabrication history, you're guessing which ones need your precision milling services for aerospace-grade tolerances
Our Custom-Built Lead Scoring System
We've engineered solutions for fabrication shops just like yours, turning raw leads into a streamlined pipeline that fits your shop floor realities
Why Choose Us
Let's be honest—off-the-shelf lead tools treat every business the same, like using a standard bolt in a custom jig. They ignore your unique workflow, from quoting laser-cut parts to managing just-in-time inventory. At AIQ Labs, we build a <span class="gradient">tailored AI system</span> that learns your fabrication sweet spots. It analyzes lead data against your past jobs, scoring prospects based on factors like project scale, material needs, and urgency. You're probably thinking, 'How does this integrate with my setup?' We connect it directly to your CRM and ERP, creating a single view that flags high-ROI opportunities. No more one-size-fits-all nonsense. This is built for you, flexible to evolve as your shop grows.
What Makes Us Different:
Why This Transforms Your Shop
Skyrocket Close Rates on High-Value Jobs
Skyrocket Close Rates on High-Value Jobs: Imagine scoring leads so accurately that your estimators only chase projects matching your 5-axis milling capacity for custom fixtures. Shops using our system see <span class="gradient">35% higher conversions</span> within 6 months, turning more inquiries into signed contracts for ongoing steel fabrication without extra overtime.
Reclaim Hours for Shop Floor Focus
Reclaim Hours for Shop Floor Focus: No more sifting through 50 low-potential leads weekly from supplier directories. Our AI handles the grunt work, freeing your team to refine weld processes or optimize material cuts on laser tables. One client cut qualification time from 10 hours to 2 per week, boosting overall productivity by 25% and enabling faster turnaround on plate rolling jobs.
Align Leads with Your Production Realities
Align Leads with Your Production Realities: Like fitting a perfect flange in a piping system, our scoring ensures leads fit your lead times and capabilities. It flags mismatches early—say, a lead needing aluminum extrusions when you're geared for heavy plate rolling and carbon steel welding—saving you from unprofitable bids and improving ROI on every quote by up to 40%.
What Clients Say
"Before AIQ's system, we were quoting every lead that came through the door, even ones that didn't fit our plasma cutting setup for structural beams. Now, it scores them based on our past jobs with similar tolerances, and we've landed three $75K contracts for custom enclosures in the last quarter alone—without the usual back-and-forth on revisions."
Mike Harlan
Operations Manager, Precision Fab Works Inc., specializing in industrial enclosures
"Our team was drowning in leads from industry directories, but half weren't serious about custom tooling for die casting. The AIQ scoring integrated with our job quoting software and cut our chase time in half over two months. Last month, we closed a repeat client for structural steel components worth $50K annually that we might've overlooked otherwise."
Sarah Kline
Sales Director, Metro Weld Fab LLC, focused on heavy-duty steel fabrication
"Here's the thing: in fabrication, timing is everything. Their lead scoring caught a high-intent prospect needing urgent CNC prototypes for bridge fittings right when our schedule opened up after a big roll-off. It led to a $120K order in under 30 days, and we've since refined it for better material matching on galvanized steel—total game-changer for our shop."
Tom Reyes
Owner, Apex Metal Crafters Ltd., experts in CNC prototyping for infrastructure
Simple 3-Step Process
Discovery and Data Mapping
We dive into your fabrication workflows, reviewing past leads and job data to identify what makes a winner—like projects over 500 lbs with 4-week turnarounds.
AI Model Build and Training
Our engineers craft a custom predictive model tailored to your shop's metrics, training it on your CRM history to score leads in real-time based on intent and fit.
Integration and Testing
We wire it into your existing tools—like ERP for inventory checks—and run pilots on live leads, tweaking until it perfectly flags your next big fabrication opportunity.
Why We're Different
What's Included
Common Questions
How does lead scoring differ for a custom fabrication shop versus general manufacturing?
In fabrication, leads often involve unique specs like tolerances or materials that generic tools overlook. Our system is built around your workflow—we train it on data from your past jobs, scoring based on factors like part complexity, alloy types, and delivery urgency. For instance, it might prioritize a lead needing precision sheet metal over a vague prototype request. This ensures relevance to your shop's capabilities, unlike broad tools that treat all manufacturing the same. We've seen shops reduce irrelevant quotes by 60%, focusing estimators on viable projects. It's all custom-coded to integrate with your CAD or quoting software, making it a natural extension of your operations.
What data do you need to build the scoring model?
We start with your existing lead and job data—things like CRM entries, closed-won deals, and details from successful fabrications such as order values, lead times, and client types. No need for fancy datasets; even basic spreadsheets on past RFQs work. We'll map it to industry-specific signals, like whether a lead mentions 'custom brackets' or has a history of construction bids. Our team handles anonymization for privacy. In one project, a shop provided six months of inquiry logs, and we built a model that accurately predicted 85% of high-value conversions. It's straightforward, and we guide you through it to ensure the AI learns your shop's unique patterns.
How long does it take to see results from the system?
You're probably thinking it'll take forever, but we aim for quick wins. Discovery and build take 4-6 weeks, with a pilot running live leads by week 3. Early results? Shops often spot 20-30% more qualified prospects in the first month. Full optimization hits around 8-10 weeks as the AI refines from real feedback. Take a recent client: their scoring flagged a lead for heavy-duty frames during a slow period, leading to a $90K job closed in under two weeks. We monitor and adjust continuously, so ROI builds fast—typically recouping costs through higher close rates within 3-6 months.
Can this integrate with our existing shop management software?
Absolutely—integration is our specialty. We connect directly to tools like JobBOSS, Epicor, or even custom ERP setups common in fabrication. The system pulls lead data in real-time and pushes scores back, automating workflows like routing high-scorers to your quoting queue. No more manual exports. For example, we linked it to a client's Plex system, where scored leads auto-populate with material estimates based on past jobs. It's built with robust APIs for two-way sync, ensuring nothing breaks during production rushes. If your software has an API, we're good; otherwise, we engineer secure workarounds.
What if our lead sources change, like new online marketplaces for fab parts?
Our systems are designed to be flexible, like adjustable fixtures on your shop floor. When you add a new source—say, a platform for sourcing custom forgings—we retrain the model with minimal downtime, incorporating fresh data points like inquiry keywords or buyer profiles. It takes just 1-2 weeks to adapt, keeping scores accurate. One shop we worked with shifted from trade shows to digital bids; we updated the AI to weigh online engagement higher, boosting their hit rate by 25%. You own the system, so changes are straightforward—no vendor lock-in or extra fees.
Is the pricing based on the number of leads we process?
No, we price for a custom build tailored to your scale, not per-lead usage like subscription models. For a mid-sized fab shop, it's a one-time development fee plus optional maintenance, ensuring predictability. Factors include data complexity and integrations—say, $15K-$30K for a full setup with ERP ties. This avoids the 'subscription chaos' of tools charging more as your leads grow. Clients love it because once built, it's yours, delivering ongoing value without escalating costs. We break it down in the consultation, aligning with your ROI goals like faster project turnarounds.
Ready to Get Started?
Book your free consultation and discover how we can transform your business with AI.