You Are Not an Island
The equipment sales and rental landscape may be different today than it was 20 years ago, but the issues remain the same. I recently received a letter from a friend complaining about the market for lifting equipment. He groaned about his competition undermining rates and making it really hard to earn a buck. He worried that his receivables were stretched out to 90 days or more and that bonding companies played hardball. Sound familiar? Would it surprise you to learn that this person was writing to me from Poland ? It doesn't matter where you operate your business the problems are the same everywhere. We are all in the same boat.
As I polled industry professionals around the country during the development of www.liftandaccess.com , one suggestion kept coming up: "You should host a forum where we can ask and answer questions of our peers," they said
The goal of the Forum found on www.liftandaccess.com is to provide a place for individuals and organizations associated with the lifting and access industry to become a community. In the Forum you will find four subject categories: Site Feedback, Product Liability, Equipment Issues, and General Business.
Product liability
One of the single biggest issues facing our business relates to product liability insurance rates, which impacts everyone in the supply chain. It contributes to costs associated with manufacturing. It affects the amount of money equipment owners have to invest in new equipment. It also means that equipment owners have to charge more to sell or rent their products, which in turn reflects on the price and age of equipment available to end users.
The Forum is the perfect place to share ideas on how to minimize the affect these inflated rates have on the industry as a whole. Hand-in-hand with the liability issue is the subject of risk control. Everyone wins when everyday risks are controlled. The safer the industry is the lower the cost of insurance. Don't sit back and complain about your liability rates if you don't get involved in making the industry as safe as you possibly can.
Voicing your opinion
We also offer other areas for discussion. Are you having trouble finding a service manual for a piece of equipment or facing a peculiar service issue for an older model? Cranes, aerials, telescopic handlers-it doesn't matter. We've got a place for you to get some answers. Post your problem in the Equipment Issues section. Or maybe your gripe involves collections, human resource issues, or government regulations. Feel free to share your opinion on these topics in the General Business section.
We want you to give us feedback about www.liftandaccess.com to make it a better tool for you. You are welcome to write to me ( gramsey@liftandaccess.com ) or Tracy Bennett ( tbennett@liftandaccess.com ) directly, but in the Forum, suggestions can be debated.
If you've visited the Forum and felt like the Lone Ranger, remember we are just getting started. It's easier than you think; select a topic and click. The only requirement for posting a comment is that you be a subscriber, which is verified by entering your e-mail address, then enter a topic and write a message. I posted a question under Equipment Issues-Rebuilt Equipment. The sale of rebuilt or re-manufactured equipment is big business, but the standards for this vary widely. Have you been burned? Do you think this is a great way to stretch your capital investment budget? Take a minute and get connected with your peers-whether they be down the street or across the ocean.
As I polled industry professionals around the country during the development of www.liftandaccess.com , one suggestion kept coming up: "You should host a forum where we can ask and answer questions of our peers," they said
The goal of the Forum found on www.liftandaccess.com is to provide a place for individuals and organizations associated with the lifting and access industry to become a community. In the Forum you will find four subject categories: Site Feedback, Product Liability, Equipment Issues, and General Business.
Product liability
One of the single biggest issues facing our business relates to product liability insurance rates, which impacts everyone in the supply chain. It contributes to costs associated with manufacturing. It affects the amount of money equipment owners have to invest in new equipment. It also means that equipment owners have to charge more to sell or rent their products, which in turn reflects on the price and age of equipment available to end users.
The Forum is the perfect place to share ideas on how to minimize the affect these inflated rates have on the industry as a whole. Hand-in-hand with the liability issue is the subject of risk control. Everyone wins when everyday risks are controlled. The safer the industry is the lower the cost of insurance. Don't sit back and complain about your liability rates if you don't get involved in making the industry as safe as you possibly can.
Voicing your opinion
We also offer other areas for discussion. Are you having trouble finding a service manual for a piece of equipment or facing a peculiar service issue for an older model? Cranes, aerials, telescopic handlers-it doesn't matter. We've got a place for you to get some answers. Post your problem in the Equipment Issues section. Or maybe your gripe involves collections, human resource issues, or government regulations. Feel free to share your opinion on these topics in the General Business section.
We want you to give us feedback about www.liftandaccess.com to make it a better tool for you. You are welcome to write to me ( gramsey@liftandaccess.com ) or Tracy Bennett ( tbennett@liftandaccess.com ) directly, but in the Forum, suggestions can be debated.
If you've visited the Forum and felt like the Lone Ranger, remember we are just getting started. It's easier than you think; select a topic and click. The only requirement for posting a comment is that you be a subscriber, which is verified by entering your e-mail address, then enter a topic and write a message. I posted a question under Equipment Issues-Rebuilt Equipment. The sale of rebuilt or re-manufactured equipment is big business, but the standards for this vary widely. Have you been burned? Do you think this is a great way to stretch your capital investment budget? Take a minute and get connected with your peers-whether they be down the street or across the ocean.
