Part 2 of our manufacturer vetting series. 6 of 12 questions every contractor and dealer should ask before committing to an excavator, skid steer, backhoe, or wheel loader attachment manufacturer. If you haven't watched Part 1 (questions 1-6), start there first.
In this video, we cover:
7. How easy is it to do business with you?
8. Can you support custom applications?
9. Do you stock replacement parts?
10. How stable and invested is your company for the future?
11. How are you innovating for the future?
12. Why should I choose you instead of another manufacturer?
Watch Part 1 (questions 1-6): https://youtu.be/NdEHHlKOqUU
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
0:21 Q7: How easy is it to do business with you?
0:57 Q8: Can you support custom applications?
1:19 Q9: Do you stock replacement parts?
1:49 Intermission
2:09 Q10: How stable and invested is your company for the future?
2:39 Q11: How are you innovating for the future?
2:55 Q12: Why should I choose you instead of another manufacturer?
FAQ Q: What should I ask a manufacturer about custom attachment applications?
A: Ask if they have the engineering bench to modify a design or build something custom — and whether they're willing to say no when a custom fit isn't the right solution.
Q: Why does replacement parts stocking matter when choosing an attachment manufacturer?
A: Downtime is expensive. Domestic manufacturers with stocked pins, bushings, cylinders, and wear parts can turn replacements around faster than import-heavy suppliers relying on overseas freight.
Q: What's the most important question to ask an attachment manufacturer?
A: Ask directly why they believe you should choose them over another manufacturer. The strongest manufacturers talk about long-term relationships and support after the sale — not just price or specs.
Welcome back.
If you missed the first six questions, hit the link and get caught up.
these next six questions are going to be the questions that reveal whether you're buying an attachment or buying into a real partnership. Let's get into it.
Customers expect Amazon speed. They want answers now, even in construction. Ask how fast quotes can come back. Are they same day or are you going to wait a week? Ask if there's an online quoting tool, or if every order goes through the phone call and an email chain. Ask what happens when something goes wrong with an order, like a wrong part or a shipping delay?
Do they get a straight answer fast, or does it disappear into a support queue? The manufacturers worth partnering with make it easy to do business with them when things go right and when they don't.
No two job sites are the same. Ask if they have an engineering bench to modify a design or build something custom.
The best manufacturers will sometimes say no to an idea that you have. They'd rather lose one sale
than puts you in a bad position by customizing something you came up with on a bar stool napkin.
Downtime is expensive. Ask how pins, bushings, cylinders, and wear parts are stocked and shipped. Import heavy manufacturers often struggle here because they have to rely on mass stocking and slow overseas freight. Domestic partnerships can turn replacements around fast, since they can make their own. If they run out of stock, they can react quicker to component needs.
Knowing the long term support needs to be a part of every purchasing decision.
I hope you're taking notes, because this is the exact list of questions you should have if you're meeting or calling a manufacturer. If you're not taking notes, don't worry. The whole list is linked below in our blog.
If this video has been helpful. Hit the like button and subscribe to our channel for more content just like this. Now back to the video.
You're picking a partner for years, not just one order. You want to ask how long they've been in business, who owns it, and whether they're still investing in equipment and engineering even when the market's down. Strong companies keep building even through the slow years. The answers to these questions matter for dealers because it shows a manufacturer is not just trying to make the next sale,
they're trying to build the capacity, the knowledge and the infrastructure needed to support customers for years to come.
Construction keeps changing. That's never going to stop. Ask what they're developing now and how they're supporting new machine technology for the future. A manufacturer that isn't investing in engineering today is going to be falling behind for you tomorrow.
if the answer leads with how long they've been doing this, how they handle problems, and how they support you after the sale, that's a manufacturer thinking about a relationship. Ask them directly what happens a year from now if something goes wrong?
Do they still take your call? Do they still stand behind what they sold you? The strongest manufacturers won't hesitate on that answer because they've already proven it to dealers just like you. If the honest answer is that another manufacturer might actually be a better fit for your specific application, the right partner will tell you that too.
There you have it, guys. 12 questions to ask every manufacturer. If you've got any questions, leave a comment down below or as always, give us a call. Thanks again for watching and we'll see you in the next one.
