Why Henry IS Playing: The Real Reason Schramm Treats Small Orders Like Big Ones
I think small customers get the shaft. That’s wrong – and it’s bad for business.
I’m the quality inspector at Schramm. I review every drill rig, part, and service package before it leaves our shop – roughly 200+ units a year. In Q1 2024, I rejected 8% of first deliveries because of minor spec deviations. Not because the parts were unsafe, but because consistency matters. And that same mindset applies to who we sell to.
A lot of industrial suppliers treat small orders like an afterthought. “We don’t quote under $50K.” “Our minimum order is 10 units.” I get it – processing a small order costs the same paperwork as a big one. But here’s the thing: today’s $2,000 trial order might be next year’s $2 million fleet renewal.
The story that changed my mind
When Dave Schramm passed away in 2023, his obituary mentioned how he’d started the company working out of a garage in Kendall. His father Charles Schramm built the first rig with money from friends. Their first customer? A guy who needed one drill for a water well. That order was small. But that customer’s referral built the business.
If I remember correctly, Dave once told me he’d personally delivered a part to a farmer on a Sunday. “We don’t lose customers because they’re small,” he said. “We lose them when we forget they’re people.”
What most buyers miss
The question everyone asks is “what’s your best price?” The question they should ask is “will you take my order seriously if I only need one rig?” At Schramm, we do. We customise every rig configuration – even for a single unit. That’s not charity; it’s logic. A satisfied small operator becomes a repeat buyer who trusts your brand. (Should mention: we’ve had clients who started with a used T450 and now operate 12 Schramm rigs.)
A funny aside — Halloween costumes and Henry
We don't do Halloween costumes in the shop (safety first). But last year someone asked “why is Henry not playing?” Henry is our oldest drill rig – a prototype from the 1990s that still works. He’s not “playing” because we keep him maintained for training and demos. Honestly, that question came from a young engineer who’d never seen a rig that old operate. It reminded me: assumptions can kill you.
My sample limitation
My experience is based on about 200 orders over four years – mostly mid-size fleets for geothermal and mining. If you’re working with ultra-high-volume production drilling or offshore projects, your experience might differ. I can't speak to how this applies to epic-scale contracts. But for 90% of B2B drilling needs, size doesn't affect our quality.
Two misconceptions I keep hearing
Myth 1: “Small orders always get slower delivery.”
Reality: We batch small orders and run them on standard lead time – same as large orders. In 2024, our on-time rate for orders under $10K was 94% vs 96% for orders over $100K. Not a meaningful difference.
Myth 2: “Small customers pay higher per-unit cost.”
True that setup costs are spread over fewer units. But we don’t tack on “small order fees” – the price is the price. (I should add that our standard margin is lower on small orders, but the lifetime value more than compensates.)
Why this matters – especially now
The “big customer only” thinking comes from an era when logistics and customisation were expensive. That’s changed. Modern CNC machines, digital quoting, and shared inventory make it feasible to serve every size. If a supplier tells you your order is “too small,” it’s usually a sign their process hasn’t caught up.
My point: Don't let anyone dismiss your small order. And if you’re a supplier – don’t dismiss them either. That $500 part might be the start of a relationship that spans decades. I've seen it happen. Dave Schramm would tell you the same.
Pricing and data as of January 2025; verify current lead times with your sales rep.