ASPHALT ANSWERS
Having a dealer representative on site during the buying process is crucial to the success of the purchase .
1 ) I can always get a better price by going straight to the factory . Most manufacturers these days see the added value of going to market through an authorized dealer . With all the technology that goes into machines these days , having a trained local service center at your fingertips will save you time and money . The local dealer is in tune with your local market and is trained to assist you in succeeding .
2 ) If I try to trade my machine , the dealer will always under-value its worth . In most cases , the local dealer knows exactly what your machine is worth because he attends auctions and studies used machine sales . The dealer will typically go through steps to make sure that the next owner will receive a job-ready tool , which is an investment . Furthermore , he is assuming all the risk by inventorying the unit until a suitable buyer is found . It ’ s very important to remember the dealer is a for-profit business as well . You will almost always be able to sell your machine to another user outright for more money , but keep in mind , it may take time and money to find the right buyer .
3 ) The sales person is not looking out for my best interests . In the equipment business , loyalty is at an all-time high . When the salesman is talking you through the process , he is not only trying to provide you with a solution today , but tomorrow and next year as well . Our livelihoods depend on repeat business , so any attempts to be less than professional will do nothing but hurt the salesman in his attempts for future business . The paving industry is a tight knit group and word of a raw deal gets around fast .
4 ) Manufacturers just put extras on machines to drive the cost up . In today ’ s world of ready information via the internet , social media and email , the contractor is more informed than ever before , making competition between manufacturers very fierce . At the company I work for , we have an unwritten policy that basically says that we don ’ t add anything to a machine unless it brings more value than cost . My challenge to you is that when you see something on a machine that you don ’ t believe adds value to your operation , ask about it . If your representative can ’ t give you a value based answer , then do not hesitate to question its worth . It ’ s that kind of input that helps manufacturers bring the machines to market that make the contractor ’ s job easier .
5 ) Preventative maintenance packages aren ’ t worth the money and only designed to generate un-needed work for the shop . I recently read a study that stated that businesses spend 80 % of their maintenance time reacting to issues rather than preventing them . This is especially important in the asphalt business where uptime is crucial . The PM package sold by your qualified dealer could save you money not only in lost time , but lost asphalt as well , by detecting issues that you may not readily notice . Remember , the decision to fix or not is yours , so be diligent in discussing the matters with the service department . The same study reports that any business can save between 12 % and 18 % by investing in a logical preventative maintenance program .
No matter the manufacturer , big or small , their top priority is establishing a partnership with their customer . It is important to note , however , that an asphalt equipment dealer must have a different skill set than your regular equipment dealer . The asphalt equipment dealer realizes that when a part of the paving operation goes down , the clock is ticking , and if you don ’ t react , someone else will . Do some educated shopping and you will see which relationship is worth your time .
Brian Hall is a LeeBoy Territory Manager . He can be reached via email at bhall @ leeboy . com . www . callape . com [ 32 ] 1.800.210.5923