Learn about material screeners, what do you want to know?

[benlindsay1]

Okay I'll start off by saying I never did understand forum etiquette....but clearly I'm going about things the wrong way here!
Forgive the ignorance!

OK Ben, the best place to start with this forum is to read everything in the archives first. As an ex-supplier I can say with some certainty that it will help you to not make a prat of yourself and it will give you an insight into some of the 'in-jokes' (of which the above is a current example) that a number of our more vocal and better known members will swap regularly. You will not get everything first time round but it will begin to sink in.

The other bit of advice is more obvious and applies to all salesmen (speaking as one who has practised these dark arts...). The good lord gave us one mouth and two ears for a reason. Use them in that proportion and you won't go far wrong. Introducing yourself (good move BTW) and asking 'tell me all about plant' is too big a question. Your initial question was OK, but I would have done a bit more silent research first.

HTH

Robert

So start off by reading a few thousand forum posts? No sweat Can't a guy just hop in and have a chat?
Fair though, I probably should have had a hoke about. Mouth (or keyboard in this case) tends to jump ahead of the brain a lot of the time!

Also having flashbacks to getting berated with advice from my dad here with the 'two ears one mouth' saying
I'l try to go more specific next time, honestly only starting to learn about plant machines so grasping for everything I can get!

Na, be afraid of forum users with moderately sarcastic tendencies

I presume you work for powerscreen? Would the demonstration be of a portable tracked scalping (Box) type screen.


Robert/Randla has nailed it. Most of us are lovely people on here, most of us also know our trades..... from Highwaymen (Doobin) to people that run fleets of big gear, and even retired old bastards (Druid) none of us are fools.... we also aren't experts at everything. Treat us to pictures, information, and humor and you never know you might sell something.

Regarding your new role... tbh ask all the questions you want... remember that the end user of a small box/scalping screen is going to be a completely different user to say a quarry that wants a large tracked plant and crusher. All end users want is a reliable product with good backup at a price comparable to the manufacturers competitors.

Btw on a unrelated note @Regy53 has the details of a Hungarian bloke that likes BMW's who needs a small screener to sort topsoil from bricks and tow behind his Nissan Navara.

Nope not powerscreen, new company creating a bit of a marketplace for direct sales from as many manufacturers as possible if you're interested .....thankfully my boss knows a lot more about machines than I do!
Demo is for the above pictures, Screencore trident 124. We sold one to a guy in Texas before Christmas so he's going to do a set up and a bit of work with it for us.

Will feed on some pictures and hopefully a lot of video if it would interest some here!

What's with the secrecy on the OP product, we're all here waiting for some pictures of a revolutionary new screener, give us something

No secrecy intended....although looking back on my post it seems pretty vague sorry!
Tis a Screencore trident 124 as per the above. Again I'll throw some video under here after we film the demo! Should hopefully be some nice stuff, company doing the shooting are really good

Tbf hasn't he done the right thing ??

Everyone bemoans people coming on here and the first post being advertising
At least he is having a conversation first

Cheers for this! I'd rather avoid advertising here altogether if I'm honest. I know people don't really come here for that!
I just want to learn more about these machines are how they live in their natural wilderness

 

[benlindsay1]

Anyone buying this machine will be doing so to make money out of it so they would want to know that if it packs up you as the supplier will have a fitter there within X number or hours/days, availability of parts. That would probably be one of the biggest selling factors for me on something high value like that as well as service intervals, fuel consumption, country of manufacture etc

have you had the chance to watch one being operated close up? It will give you the best insight into what’s involved and the person running it will probably have experience of other machines so can give you pointers on how they stack up against competitors

Interesting! I had sort of figured money was a big play, reduce time = more $$ and all that.
Parts availability is interesting? that an issue with this type of kit?

Not been able to see one up close yet no! Hoping that after the pandemic dies down a bit I can get out on site a lot more as I have literally no exposure to this type of thing.
Video is the second best I suppose so hopefully this and other demos we run will teach me a bit!

 

[Monkeybusiness]

I’m interested in how you guys have found yourselves operating in this industry tbh. Is your company aiming to create sales for manufacturers without dealer networks?
Is it just construction machinery you are focusing on, or do you already run similar sales-promotions in other industries?
What is safety jewellery by the way?

 

[benlindsay1]

I’m interested in how you guys have found yourselves operating in this industry tbh. Is your company aiming to create sales for manufacturers without dealer networks?
Is it just construction machinery you are focusing on, or do you already run similar sales-promotions in other industries?
What is safety jewellery by the way?

My boss has been working in the industry for the last 10 years selling heavy machinery, he ended up wanting to do his own thing about two years ago.

'Is your company aiming to create sales for manufacturers without dealer networks?' - In a way yes although our aim isn't really to eliminate dealers.
At the minute a lot of people are restricted in choice to what they can get locally from dealers, by working directly with manufacturers we can provide more choice, shipped to anywhere regardless of location. We can also take a smaller margin due to lower overheads so we're pretty good on price!

But that's kind of one side of the story, we're much more interested in providing lifetime care for the machines we sell + digital service records etc
Mostly focusing on crushers and screening equipment right now

Safety jewellery is a funny story! I started a company out of university with a girl I knew making necklaces that let people discreetly share their location or send a text message by pressing a button. Ended up closing down last year but learnt a lot doing it!

 

[Shovelhands]

My boss has been working in the industry for the last 10 years selling heavy machinery, he ended up wanting to do his own thing about two years ago.

'Is your company aiming to create sales for manufacturers without dealer networks?' - In a way yes although our aim isn't really to eliminate dealers.
At the minute a lot of people are restricted in choice to what they can get locally from dealers, by working directly with manufacturers we can provide more choice, shipped to anywhere regardless of location. We can also take a smaller margin due to lower overheads so we're pretty good on price!

But that's kind of one side of the story, we're much more interested in providing lifetime care for the machines we sell + digital service records etc
Mostly focusing on crushers and screening equipment right now

Safety jewellery is a funny story! I started a company out of university with a girl I knew making necklaces that let people discreetly share their location or send a text message by pressing a button. Ended up closing down last year but learnt a lot doing it!

I don’t mean any disrespect, but is “eliminating dealers” a good thing for the end user? Yes, we all want a keen price, whatever the item may be, but plant is a touch different, not unique, but different. The cost is usually high for plant machinery, so it’s a big investment, whatever end of the scale you are working on. However, the initial purchase is only part of the equation..... Machines break down and will need servicing, that is just a given, so who is going to provide this essential part of the equation once the dealers are no longer there? Dealers are certainly not keen to go out on warranty work on a machine they have not supplied and one that their own salesman may have quoted on and not supplied.

On edit, sorry I re-read your post and realise that you said that you don’t want eliminate dealers, I originally read it as you did!
but I think my opinion remains the same.... You might not want to eliminate dealers, but if you undercut them and they don’t supply new machines, then by default they will be eliminated.

 

[V8Druid]

I don’t mean any disrespect, but is “eliminating dealers” a good thing for the end user? Yes, we all want a keen price, whatever the item may be, but plant is a touch different, not unique, but different. The cost is usually high for plant machinery, so it’s a big investment, whatever end of the scale you are working on. However, the initial purchase is only part of the equation..... Machines break down and will need servicing, that is just a given, so who is going to provide this essential part of the equation once the dealers are no longer there? Dealers are certainly not keen to go out on warranty work on a machine they have not supplied and one that their own salesman may have quoted on and not supplied.

dealers don't wanna know, no matter what the issue ..... most'll want to sell you summat and then walk away/turn their backs on you

 

[Shovelhands]

dealers don't wanna know, no matter what the issue ..... most'll want to sell you summat and then walk away/turn their backs on you

Not all, Graham.

 

[V8Druid]

Not all, Graham.

agreed ..... but so thin on the ground, they're virtually negligible

 

[Shovelhands]

agreed ..... but so thin on the ground, they're virtually negligible

Yes, you can’t beat tarring everyone with the same brush....

 

[V8Druid]

hell you only got to read on here the number of dealers who won't/can't even be bothered to sell you summat in the first place
I DO NOT KNOW HOW some stay in biz

 

[Shovelhands]

hell you only got to read on here the number of dealers who won't/can't even be bothered to sell you summat in the first place
I DO NOT KNOW HOW some stay in biz

Yes that is true, but it’s wrong to say all dealers are bad and won’t provide a service.

 

[Brendan]

dealers don't wanna know, no matter what the issue ..... most'll want to sell you summat and then walk away/turn their backs on you

Nail on the head, doosan dealer barely acknowledged me when collecting it originally - don't get me wrong didn't expect a red carpet and fireworks when I turned up but was far from welcoming, issues needed chasing up multiple times and in the end gave up on the king pin situation, it's not as bad as it originally was but they just didn't care. Warranty is out now so that's it, did enquire about possibility of extended warranty but again heard nothing back.

Jcb on the other hand were excellent, any issues and fitter out next day with parts to fix, only small issues and nothing that caused it to be out of action, can't say if it was a machine down situation if out same day but service was top notch, shame their micro is an old design and not on servos as would have been top of the list from back up side alone

 

[Brendan]

You might not want to eliminate dealers, but if you undercut them and they don’t supply new machines, then by default they will be eliminated.

Good point
That's the problem without the plant dealer's selling the machines and getting their markup they won't be interested in fixing someone else's machine.
Only options would be having their own fitters and adding to their costs or striking warranty repair contracts with the dealer's, who lets face it will probably have their own backlog of servicing and warranty work and not interested unless high labour rates

 

[JD450A]

dealers don't wanna know, no matter what the issue ..... most'll want to sell you summat and then walk away/turn their backs on you

Yes but there offices are available to hurl things through if the backup is poor.... Things like tracking a microdigger into the reception area in disgust do tend to sort problems quickly

 

[V8Druid]

Yes that is true, but it’s wrong to say all dealers are bad and won’t provide a service.

again agreed James .... I should have said dealers in general

 

[Randla]

'Is your company aiming to create sales for manufacturers without dealer networks?' - In a way yes although our aim isn't really to eliminate dealers.
At the minute a lot of people are restricted in choice to what they can get locally from dealers, by working directly with manufacturers we can provide more choice, shipped to anywhere regardless of location. We can also take a smaller margin due to lower overheads so we're pretty good on price!

At risk of causing some controversy, I've got to question at least one aspect of this business model, at least as far as you have described it so far. If you are working as an interface between the manufacturer and the customer then it's difficult to see how you are not, well, a dealer....

It's generally true that dealers only react to demand, rather than generating it. This is one of the reasons it's so difficult to innovate new products into the industry - the mainstream dealerships won't divert sales resources into products that they don't get asked for regularly. For this reason, manufacturers with an existing demand will use dealerships to broaden their reach (geographical, wider customer base, etc.) but there is a quid pro quo here: In order for a dealer to fully support a manufacturer's product offer, they're going to want some form of territorial (or other) exclusivity. In exchange, a dealer will have to commit to training, SLAs, stock and so on. Most of the mainstream plant brands have dealerships tied up for a reason and the ones that don't tend to either deal direct in order to generate a market that dealers will then wake up to, or resort to second echelon resellers to get geographical reach. I have to question whether the mainstream manufacturers will disrupt existing dealership networks lightly, so is what you are offering an alternative (as opposed to more) choice and can you actually provide the support 'anywhere regardless of location' on smaller margins?

I appreciate that you are new to this industry, Ben; and this is not meant to be confrontational. Please expand on the 'more choice, shipped anywhere' bit.

Robert

 

[Monkeybusiness]

At risk of causing some controversy, I've got to question at least one aspect of this business model, at least as far as you have described it so far. If you are working as an interface between the manufacturer and the customer then it's difficult to see how you are not, well, a dealer....

It's generally true that dealers only react to demand, rather than generating it. This is one of the reasons it's so difficult to innovate new products into the industry - the mainstream dealerships won't divert sales resources into products that they don't get asked for regularly. For this reason, manufacturers with an existing demand will use dealerships to broaden their reach (geographical, wider customer base, etc.) but there is a quid pro quo here: In order for a dealer to fully support a manufacturer's product offer, they're going to want some form of territorial (or other) exclusivity. In exchange, a dealer will have to commit to training, SLAs, stock and so on. Most of the mainstream plant brands have dealerships tied up for a reason and the ones that don't tend to either deal direct in order to generate a market that dealers will then wake up to, or resort to second echelon resellers to get geographical reach. I have to question whether the mainstream manufacturers will disrupt existing dealership networks lightly, so is what you are offering an alternative (as opposed to more) choice and can you actually provide the support 'anywhere regardless of location' on smaller margins?

I appreciate that you are new to this industry, Ben; and this is not meant to be confrontational. Please expand on the 'more choice, shipped anywhere' bit.

Robert

Exactly this!
Why would manufacturers want to let you guys sell their kit cheap and p**s off their dealer network (unless their dealers aren’t doing a decent job and the manufacturers want to change the way they sell altogether)?
Though saying that, I’m sure I read (almost certainly on here) that lead-times if buying direct from JCB are (or at least were) shorter than if ordering through their dealer network, which suggested to me that JCB weren’t too bothered about shaking up the dealers a bit...
However, the more I think about it the more I can see the merits of low-volume manufacturers possibly moving away from mainstream high-overhead-high-margin conventional dealers who wouldn’t necessarily offer their product as a stand-alone brand (but more likely represent it as one of many sub-brands as bolt-on products sold on the back of a high-volume-product franchise).
So I’ve talked myself full-circle from thinking you are attempting something that may struggle to gain any support from those you wish to represent to actually thinking you may be onto something. Build a decent database of service partners for installation/support/servicing of multi-product/brand gear (it’s all going to be plant-based, and there are plenty of excellent guys out there doing just this) and away you go!
‘This time next year Rodders...’

 

[V8Druid]

you only have to look at what internet selling has done to mainstream shops/sellers ...... the buying public have become fed up with funding massive overheads that aren't really necessary and reaping the rewards of lower priced goods/products .... car buying is well and truly on the same route ... and all largely delivered to your door
it's a natural progression that this will roll out to all walks of life ...... bought a water pump for the house yesterday - noon-ish ..... no idea where to even look locally .... here this morning at 10.00 am and a good/very competitive price .... some things would/will struggle to go this way .... but a great deal is already there or heading there .... rapido ........and the last year's events have probably speeded the process inexorably

 

[GazCro]

you only have to look at what internet selling has done to mainstream shops/sellers ...... the buying public have become fed up with funding massive overheads that aren't really necessary and reaping the rewards of lower priced goods/products .... car buying is well and truly on the same route ... and all largely delivered to your door
it's a natural progression that this will roll out to all walks of life ...... bought a water pump for the house yesterday - noon-ish ..... no idea where to even look locally .... here this morning at 10.00 am and a good/very competitive price .... some things would/will struggle to go this way .... but a great deal is already there or heading there .... rapido ........and the last year's events have probably speeded the process inexorably

Only issue is knowing what you are buying. 200 different sellers advertising 3 different types of a product all at different prices but you never know which you're gonna get. Do you buy cheap expecting the quality item or go dear and buy sh*te?

 

[V8Druid]

Only issue is knowing what you are buying. 200 different sellers advertising 3 different types of a product all at different prices but you never know which you're gonna get. Do you buy cheap expecting the quality item or go dear and buy sh*te?

know where you're coming from .. but in general, a branded product is a branded product ... if you're not funding the whole retailer network and paying their rent/rates/wages/etc. ........

that's always been the same ... homework required for that situation