Are you looking into heavy equipment parts sales to keep your critical heavy equipment in good operating order? It can be stressful since heavy equipment parts sales often come with a hefty price tag. You don’t want to spend more than you have to, but then, investing in quality parts that won’t leave you high and dry.
Your business can’t run without the heavy equipment that does all the hard work for you, and your heavy equipment can’t run without the critical parts that it depends on. Finding reliable heavy equipment parts sales is an important part of keeping your entire business moving along like a well-oiled machine. To help you get off on the right foot, check out our list of five things to think about before selecting a heavy equipment parts sales company to do business with:
- Do you have referrals from other clients you do business with?
You’re putting a lot of money on the line when you buy new or used parts from a heavy equipment parts provider. Regardless of all the guarantees that the company offers, there is still a level of risk involved in the transaction. By talking to other clients who regularly use the company for their heavy equipment parts about the kind of experience they have, it reduces the risk you are taking.Getting referrals directly from the distributor is a good start. If you are concerned that they may only be providing biased reviews, you can also research the company online. If they have a reputation for providing extremely good customer service, or extremely bad service, you will definitely uncover it online.
- Do you offer any type of guarantee on your part?
Even the most reliable brands of parts malfunction from time to time. This is particularly true for refurbished used parts. Before forking over a large sum of cash for new or used heavy equipment parts, make sure to check on whether or not the parts provider offers replacements or refunds should you have any issue with the part. - What additional fees will I be subject to when purchasing a part from your company?
As with any major purchase, the price tag on the part is not the final number you will have to shell out for your part. There are often additional expenses involved in purchasing parts for heavy equipment. You’ll probably subject to a core fee (unless you can exchange the broken part in for the new one), shipping costs, packaging and handling, taxes, and so on. These expenses are par for the course, but a legitimate parts provider will disclose them up front, so you know what you are paying from the get-go. - Do you have a record of maintenance and operation hours that the part has under its belt?
This doesn’t apply to all parts, but if you are purchasing significant parts (such as the engine) from a used parts distributor, knowing how many hours the machine has been used is a good indication of condition it will be in. Consider buying a pre-owned car, the first thing you look at is how many miles it has been driven. This is the same concept. If the distributor doesn’t have a record of how many operation hours the engine has on it, this might be considered a red flag. - Can I take the part for a test drive?
This might sound ridiculous since the part obviously can’t function until it is actually installed on the heavy machinery it is used for. For smaller parts, simply get up close and personal with it. Closely inspect it; make sure there are no noticeable flaws with it. Verify that the part number is accurate. If it’s a significant part, make sure that you are allowed to return it if it malfunctions.
Buying new or used parts for your heavy equipment can be stressful and expensive. This necessary evil can be far worse than it has to be if you buy parts from a provider with a bad reputation, who doesn’t offer refunds if the part doesn’t work, who adds in a bunch of extra costs, and who doesn’t let you look it over before handing your money over. Asking before you buy will save you the headache.
