THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD PRODUCT SUPPORT

Purchasing capital equipment, whether it’s your first small power unit or your thirty-first truck, is a big investment. You want something that will go the hard yards, but you also want something that presents good value in the short and the long term for the business.

Getting value from your purchase also means getting the right advice at the right time; this includes advice about the whole of life cost of your equipment and the type of aftersales support that comes along with it.

There is nothing more frustrating than an unplanned issue like a breakdown, or worse, a major component issue when you’re booked up for the week. With good product support, an aftersales team will be able to provide advice from the best road assist programs to the best tyres to install on your truck for your particular application and will also be able to advise on service options and agreements for distributing service costs to match your budget.

WHERE TO BEGIN

When it comes to high end capital equipment, product support comes into play before you even make your purchase.   You might have your heart set on a specific model because of the accessories available or an excellent online review, but a good sales and support team will know—through discussing your business needs with you before purchase—whether that piece of equipment is really right for the job.

Long story short, you want to find an OEM dealer with a dedicated team who know the ins and outs of the product so they can support you and yours, and that means the whole package: from sales to aftersales servicing and care, to parts and accessories,

For example: you want a powerful tipper for your landscaping business... but the application you are using it for really calls for a lower GVM. It’s going to be better value for you and your business to invest in a (possibly less impressive) light-duty truck rather than a heavier truck.

Purchasing a truck with too much payload for the job needed will cost you money, not save money.

 A good product support team won’t be afraid to inform you of this at the time of purchase, and how this can work in favour for your business (and not just in favour of a bigger sale for them!).

The same goes for any piece of capital equipment, the team should understand not only the product they sell but the small end-use details such as the climate and conditions you operate in and be able to confidently advise you on the best solution or model for the intended purpose.

PARTS AND ACCESORIES

From tyres to towbars, all OEMs have genuine parts and accessories, along with brands they partner with that work together to improve the performance of your equipment along with its lifespan.

Product support can be there to inform you of the right type of accessory, whether it will be a good investment or if it’s an item that isn't necessarily required for your application.

OEM product support teams can also offer advice on new or replacement parts and be an advocate for the best option for the equipment and for savings in the long run, especially when the lure of cheaper alternatives can be strong.

It’s no secret genuine parts are the best pick for ensuring your capital equipment performs up to spec, and where OEMs have teamed up with high performance component brands, it’s also a good indication that you’ll be investing in quality.

SERVICE AGREEMENTS

A great way to plan for the business operating costs and downtime is a service agreement with scheduled services.  Preventative servicing can catch any number of potential issues before they arise and so they can be addressed in a timely manner, rather than when the equipment is needed most—on the road or far from home.

Service agreements can also assist you to evenly distribute the cost of servicing so that big bills aren’t coming up unexpectedly.

By their nature, service agreements are designed to be manageable and can be implemented at the time of purchase or further down the track when you’re ready for it. The OEM customer support team should be able to advise on a suitable program for your equipment and business within your budget, helping you plan for the longer term.

UNDERSTANDING A WARRANTY

No one wants issues to crop up, especially with a brand-new truck or piece of equipment, but that is what warranty is there to cover.

Excellent product support means you can get timely help to have your problems solved and your truck back on the road or your generator pumping again ASAP, preferably without any major hassles or phone hold wait times. And when it comes to downtime... well you want as little of that as possible, thanks very much.

Take any guess work out of the equation and set yourself up for smoother sailing with a support team with a good reputation for addressing warranty issues.  You want absolute certainty of the level of coverage your vehicle has and the type of support you will receive when push comes to shove.

ON THE JOB

The trickiest aftersales issues always arise when you want them the least—that’s when you are putting your equipment to some hard yakka, and you need it to perform. Whether it's at the job site, on the road, or in the paddock, product support is often the first phone call to begin the process of getting to the bottom of the issue.

That’s why you want an OEM who offers a wide range of services from roadside assistance to phone support and affiliations with broader assistance groups who can be there to support you if things go wrong.

For example, in the case of Isuzu Trucks, this falls under Isuzu Care, which is a full circle customer support service which offers customer support, a 24/7 phone line and roadside assistance, plus the option of stopping in at any one of 70 dealerships across the country.

Product support doesn’t only apply to breakdowns. It may be that the touchscreen panel isn't tweaked quite right or your SatNav isn’t working the way you want it to.

A good product support helpline will assist you quickly in your queries, no matter where you are and help you find your way around issues without changing hands a dozen times.

MAKE IT ALL ABOUT YOU

Although it’s not the first thing that necessarily comes to mind when you’re making a purchase, the role that product support plays can't be overlooked, not only for the business but sometimes for your own sanity if things go south

Whether you are getting your business up and running or are an established business, it always pays to go with a trusted name who will take the time to get to know your business inside out and provide value beyond the piece of equipment.

Need to upgrade but finding it hard to decide between a dual-cab ute or a light-duty truck? Check out what these customers had to say about their ute to truck upgrade.