Mondays Are For Metal: Made for Me

My name is Sasha, and a few months ago, I transitioned into a new role as the dedicated metal purchaser for a company that designs and manufactures custom architectural products. Our projects range from intricate metal facades to large-scale installations, meaning I need to have a holistic understanding of everything—from fabrication to installation.

When I first joined the team, I knew I had to hit the ground running. The complexity of our work doesn’t allow much room for errors or delays in materials. I am not a stranger to buying metal online, but my previous experiences with certain platforms has felt a bit cold and cumbersome.

But I am determined to have a whole new experience online.

This week, as I dove deeper into my role, I realized just how much control I could have over my metal purchasing experience if I simply focused upfront on some customization.

It was my first real Monday managing a large order for an upcoming project, and I noticed something I hadn’t explored before: the ability to personalize my account.

For example, the ability to adjust my delivery schedule with ease. In the past, managing delivery schedules was a juggling act that often led to headaches and disruptions. For instance, let’s say our standard receiving hours are Monday through Friday, from 7 AM to 4 PM.

However, there were times when we needed to close early on a Friday for a week due to special circumstances, such as scheduled maintenance or team events.

Previously, I would have to manually communicate our altered receiving hours to our supplier, usually via email or phone calls. This process was time-consuming and prone to errors.

Sometimes, despite my best efforts, deliveries would still arrive outside our adjusted hours, causing a backlog of materials waiting outside our facility. This not only led to potential delays in our project timelines but also added unnecessary stress to our team, who had to scramble to manage these unexpected deliveries.

Now, with the flexibility to update our receiving schedule in real-time on ryerson.com, I can effortlessly reflect these changes on my account. For example, if I know we need to close early on a Friday for the upcoming week, I simply make that adjustment in the system.

Additionally, I was able to set receiving defaults that are crucial for our workflow. For instance, I configured our preferred bundle sizes and indicated that we use overhead cranes for deliveries instead of forklifts. I also updated specific dock numbers for different orders, ensuring deliveries go to the correct location every time.

This newfound efficiency wasn’t just about saving time—it felt like I had more control over the process. And for someone in my position, juggling multiple custom projects at once, having that control can mean everything.

My Mondays are already feeling a lot less stressful.

Next week, I’ll explore new ways to find metal online faster than ever. Until then, have a great Metal Monday!

"Sasha" is a fictitious character created to represent the real-world challenges faced by metal buyers when purchasing metal online. Her experiences are designed to highlight common pain points and showcase how ryerson.com features can streamline the buying process.