Why Dealing with Authorised Dealers will Give You a Leg Up

April 06, 2017

If you’re faced with the option of purchasing equipment from a parallel importer or an authorised supplier the decision should be simple. However, many consumers fall into the trap of thinking importers have their long-term interests at heart, which sadly isn’t always the case.

If you want access to quality equipment that perfectly suits your needs, a Manufacturers Authorised Dealer is the way to go.

Not all Equipment is Made the Same

Grey or Parallel Importers often tell customers that equipment is “all the same,” regardless of the market it’s built for. This is not correct.

For example, machinery produced for the EU market will be fitted with DPF particulate filters, which aren’t a requirement here in Australia. While this may not sound like a big deal, this product discrepancy could potentially increase the maintenance costs of your equipment, which would make maintenance more costly than units that have been imported through the authorised channels.

In this example, different engine specifications will also create other discrepancies in components, which will likely lead to problems identifying parts, and obtaining the necessary parts required for maintenance and repairs.

Items such as cooling systems and air conditioning may not be suitable for our climate, potentially reducing machine life or making it unpleasant to operate.

A host of extra issues with unauthorised dealers can also arise because:

• Unauthorised importers often don’t have the ability to stock the correct parts for the equipment they have imported
• Don’t have access to the Manufacturers parts and service information
• Owners of grey imports will not be informed of Safety Recalls or upgrades to systems that become available or are required
• Often independent importers fail to ensure the machine meets Australian Standards, for example Telescopic Handlers are required to meet AS1418.19 and AS2550.19. This leaves owners of these machines at risk in the event of an accident
• Imported machines may have reduced, or even no resale value it’s time to dispose of it due to the issues with component discrepancies, and Australian standards, discussed here
• Increased risk of lost productivity when parts cannot be sourced or problems can’t be diagnosed will likely result in significant financial losses for your business

The Benefits of Dealing with the Manufactures Authorised Dealer Network

While dealing with unauthorised dealers can be a risky investment, there are a host of ways dealing with the Manufacturers Dealer Network will add value to your ownership experience.

When dealing with the Manufacturers Authorised Dealer Network, you’ll have access to:

• Qualified, manufacturer trained service staff who work on these machines every day
• Sales support from people who know the application and can match the exact unit to your needs, ,you can have it built to the right spec – not “whatever spec was available”
• Dealers are required by the Manufacturers to meet their standards for tooling, electronic interfaces, parts, training and many other elements to ensure the Dealer can deliver a high standard of service to the customer
• Strong parts support and availability
• Access to any current and up-to-date recall or safety bulletin information, to keep your equipment safe
• Access to the most recent specification new machines that are manufactured for our market
• Machines sold by the Dealer Network meet Australian Standards
• Full Manufactures Warranty support is only available through the Authorised Dealer Network.
• Authorised Dealers have access to factory support to back up the customer
• Manufacturers often prefer to have consistency with their appointed Dealers. This means you can establish a strong relationship with a supplier who will be there for the long term. This isn’t always the case with independent importers

When it comes to making a sizeable equipment and machinery investment, you want to know that your purchase has been built to last and that you’ll have access to only the best, approved parts and first-class maintenance services.

Talk to LiftRite today about our manufacturers approved equipment.