Before you commit to a new excavator, skid steer, backhoe, or wheel loader attachment manufacturer ask these questions first. This is Part 1 of a 2-part series covering the 12 questions every contractor and dealer should ask before buying.
In this video, we cover:
1. Where are your products designed and manufactured?
2. How do you ensure product quality and consistency?
3. What are your average lead times?
4. How do you support warranty claims?
5. Will I receive dedicated sales and technical support?
6. Do you provide product training?
Read the full written guide: https://werk-brau.com/blog/the-12-questions-every-equipment-dealer-and-fleet-owner-should-ask-before-choosing-an-attachment-partner
Werk-Brau has designed and manufactured excavator buckets, wheel loader buckets, hydraulic thumbs, and quick couplers in the USA since 1947 — compatible with all major excavator, skid steer, backhoe, and wheel loader brands.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Introduction
0:32 Q1: Where are your products made?
1:10 Q2: How do you ensure quality and consistency?
1:41 Q3: What are your average lead times?
2:15 Intermission
2:34 Q4: How do you support warranty claims?
3:00 Q5: Do I get dedicated sales and technical support?
3:26 Q6: Do you provide product training?
FAQ Q: Why does manufacturing location matter for excavator attachments?
A: Domestic manufacturing usually means tighter quality control, faster communication, and shorter lead times versus imported product.
Q: What should I ask about warranty support before buying? A: Ask about typical response time, who your point of contact is, and whether replacement parts get expedited.
If you're a dealer thinking about adding a new attachment line or switching manufacturers, there's 12 questions you need answered before you sign anything.
If you're an end user watching this, don't click away. These are some of the same kind of questions that can help you choose a dealer partner.
By the end of this video, we'll cover our first six questions that you need to ask before investing in your heavy equipment manufacturer.
domestic manufacturing usually means tighter quality control, faster communication, and shorter lead times. If a manufacturer imports instead of builds, ask what happens after the sale.
Who do you call when there's a warranty issue on a part that was shipped from overseas six months ago? Can you afford to wait for the slow boat if they don't have a replacement part in stock? How quickly can they communicate with someone in another language to share your concerns or the changes that you need? The ability to react and pivot when necessary can mean the difference between a sale or a missed opportunity.
Ask about steel grade and where it comes from. Ask if they run in-house engineering or FEA (Finite Element Analysis) testing before the product ships. What's the quality control process look like and what's the rejection criteria look like on the shop floor? The last thing a dealer has time for is handling an attachment issue in the field.
Knowing the answers to these questions will help tell you how important quality is to the manufacturer, which ultimately reflects how seriously they take your reputation and their own.
A good price means nothing if you're waiting for months for a delivery.
When asking how their lead times are measured, it's important to know how often they hit their quoted lead times and what they do if they're running late.
Stocked parts also play a huge part here. More stocked parts mean faster lead times, so you should ask what's stocked versus what's built to order. Bad news is always better than no news, especially when a contractor needs to know a realistic timeline when they're going to be able to start their job or project.
If you can't get a straight answer to any of these first three questions, then you should take the hint. The full breakdown of our answers to all 12 questions is linked below.
Also, if this video has been helpful, please hit the like button. Subscribe to our channel for more content and share this video with someone who might find it useful. Now back to the video.
Anything manmade can break. It's not a matter of if there will be a problem, but it's going to be how it's handled when one arises. Ask about typical response time. Who's going to be the main point of contact, and whether the replacement parts get expedited, or if you're going to be stuck in a queue? No manufacturer is perfect, but what separates great partners is how they respond when something goes wrong.
A manufacturer should give you more than just a product.
Ask if you're getting a dedicated regional sales manager and ask if you're getting inside sales support as well.
Do they pick up the phone? Or do you get a robot that you have to yell at in order to get in touch with a real human being?
Do they provide engineering help?
What about marketing support?
the right partner operates like an extension of your team, not a vendor you call when something goes wrong.
Your sales team can't confidently recommend something they don't understand.
Ask if the manufacturer trains your people. That means product demos, job site support, and ongoing education as your team inevitably turns over.
You need a partner that is going to assist in that process and be your attachment expert.
Thanks so much for watching. We hope this video got you feeling confident about your next purchasing decision.
As always, please reach out to us with any additional questions you might have. We'll see you next time for part two.