Miller of HPM Business Systems has other reasons for liking the market. They don't go through a lot of big buyouts. Miller says his manufacturing clients also appreciate him. With manufacturing companies, you often deal with technical people who create a product. They are in a product-oriented industry, so they appreciate and understand the efforts you go through.
Quality is a buzzword with manufacturing companies.
Many of them have a Total Quality Management program in place or are ISO 9000 certified. ISO 9000 refers to a series of quality system standards designed to regulate quality procedures worldwide. It was developed by a committee of the Geneva, Switzerland-based International Organization for Standardization. To be certified, companies must meet numerous requirements, but the general idea is to have a quality procedure that is understood company-wide and followed. Distributors who sell to manufacturing firms with a TQM program or ISO certification often are required to meet certain standards.