This paper presents an optimal method and a heuristic approach which aims at maximizing the profit when responding to a set of customer enquiries under limited capacity. The model takes into consideration the quantity of available-to-promise (ATP) which measures the capability to fill customer orders, along with enquiry quantity and product price. The optimal method and the heuristic approach are tested using ATP, product price and enquiry quantity each at their different levels. From the example conducted, it is found that (1) the optimal model can help to make appropriate decision for selecting a subset of enquiries, and (2) the heuristic approach can produce a result within 5% from the optimum achieved by optimal method for most parameter settings. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

For most Smaller Manufacturing Enterprises (SMEs), how to manage customer enquiries at the customer enquiry stage is of great importance to maintain the competitive advantage and secure future customer orders. A lack of co-ordination between marketing/sales and production at this stage often leads to confirmed orders being delivered later than promised and/or being produced at a loss. In the paper, the problems and the solutions for managing customer enquiries faced by many SMEs are addressed. A general process for dealing with customer enquiries at the customer enquiry stage and a corresponding DSS approach are presented in detailed. The SMEs would benefit from the proposed DSS in which the considerations of current material and production capacity are given to the customer enquiry management process. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)