CONSTRUCTION // BY SARAH WEBB, EDITOR
All-In-One Machines A rundown of what rental companies need to know about offering attachments with their equipment rentals.
F
or contractors, adding attachments to a machine transforms it from a one-and-done piece of equipment to multifunctional tool—a Swiss Army knife of sorts. “One saying is that a skid-steer without an attachment is nothing more than a rough ride,” says Shane Reardon, national account sales manager at Bobcat Co. “Attachments can be something as simple as a bucket or a set of pallet forks, but you can’t accomplish much without attachments on the machine.” So, what attachments should rental companies be offering their contractor customers? Experts from John Deere, Bobcat Co. and Case Construction Equipment discuss what rental companies should know about attachments so that they’re hooked in to their customers’ needs when the time comes.
Some attachments customers ask for can be as simple as a bucket.
18 JUNE/JULY 2023
THE OPPORTUNITIES
Increasing contractors’ ability to complete more jobs is one plus of rental companies offering an assortment of attachments. “Having a variety of attachments for a given machine will increase revenue because the customers can bid different jobs without having that out-of-pocket expense of buying that attachment,” says Gustav Krejcha, product manager, construction attachments, Case Construction Equipment. “One or two attachments might replace a handful of people. That attachment doesn’t call in sick. That attachment doesn’t take breaks. It’s about the versatility of that one machine.” Attachment rentals can also increase rental companies’ bottom lines, especially if they’re looking to entice smaller customers with attachment rentals. “A lot of rental companies want to
differentiate themselves, and we’ve seen a shift of looking at smaller customers, with a lot of people wanting to be more self-sufficient,” says John Doyle, partnered products marketing manager at John Deere. “There are a lot of opportunities for attachments in that space.” WHAT TO CONSIDER
Before deciding on what attachments to offer, rental companies should consider items such as the warranty offerings to ensure they protect their investment, seasonal needs and regional requirements, according to Reardon. “If you’re living in a climate with a lot of snow, for example, offering snowblowers or snow blades may boost revenue,” Reardon says. “Rental houses get to know their area well, so they can build relationships with their customers, and that drives business as well.” To determine how many attachments they’ll need, Reardon Bobcat Co.
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