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Three Questions You Should Ask Your Processing Equipment Manufacturer
Posted on August 08, 2018
Preparing to buy a new piece of processing equipment can be a daunting process, but it doesn’t have to be. Knowing the right questions to ask before you buy can put you on the path to success.
Here are three questions you should ask your equipment manufacturer as you prepare to make a purchase.
It’s vitally important to make sure any manufacturer you’ll be working with has the expertise necessary to make the right recommendations for your processing equipment.
Expertise is a crucial part of the decision process. A manufacturer with the appropriate level of expertise in a given area of processing will understand key differences in products. For example, a manufacturer with a background in equipment used for food processing will understand how that equipment may be different from something used for a dairy application. Digging deeper, manufacturers who have produced equipment for specific food applications (soups versus sauces, for instance) will be able to provide an even better perspective on how your equipment will affect your operational efficiency and product quality.
Most equipment manufacturers offer warranties, but not all warranties are created equal. It’s smart to understand the exact specifications of the warranty you’ll be receiving with your equipment.
While many warranties cover one year of service, a two-year warranty is preferable, since most warranty-related issues won’t arise until after the first year of operation. And though you’ll certainly hope to never have to make a warranty claim, be sure that your equipment manufacturer will make your repairs on-site to avoid having to ship your equipment to get your repairs done.
Asking whether your manufacturer offers a multi-year warranty and on-site repairs for warranty claims is a great start toward making the best decisions for your operation.
Chances are you’ll have to interact with your equipment manufacturer at some point after you make your purchase. For that reason, it’s very important to understand what the process of interacting with your manufacturer’s customer service team will be like.
To make sure you understand what this process entails, it’s important to ask the right questions about your manufacturer’s customer service procedures and personnel. Who will be your point of contact? What are their responsibilities in your customer service relationship? Once you’ve made contact, what procedure will they follow to address your concerns and questions?
Each of these questions is crucial to your pre-purchase process. The answers could make or break your short- and long-term relationship with your manufacturer. Do what you can to find the answers before you make your next processing equipment purchase.
Here are three questions you should ask your equipment manufacturer as you prepare to make a purchase.
1 - What kind of expertise do you have in my production area?
It’s vitally important to make sure any manufacturer you’ll be working with has the expertise necessary to make the right recommendations for your processing equipment.
Expertise is a crucial part of the decision process. A manufacturer with the appropriate level of expertise in a given area of processing will understand key differences in products. For example, a manufacturer with a background in equipment used for food processing will understand how that equipment may be different from something used for a dairy application. Digging deeper, manufacturers who have produced equipment for specific food applications (soups versus sauces, for instance) will be able to provide an even better perspective on how your equipment will affect your operational efficiency and product quality.
2 - What are the terms of your warranty?
Most equipment manufacturers offer warranties, but not all warranties are created equal. It’s smart to understand the exact specifications of the warranty you’ll be receiving with your equipment.
While many warranties cover one year of service, a two-year warranty is preferable, since most warranty-related issues won’t arise until after the first year of operation. And though you’ll certainly hope to never have to make a warranty claim, be sure that your equipment manufacturer will make your repairs on-site to avoid having to ship your equipment to get your repairs done.
Asking whether your manufacturer offers a multi-year warranty and on-site repairs for warranty claims is a great start toward making the best decisions for your operation.
3 - What can I expect from your customer service process?
Chances are you’ll have to interact with your equipment manufacturer at some point after you make your purchase. For that reason, it’s very important to understand what the process of interacting with your manufacturer’s customer service team will be like.
To make sure you understand what this process entails, it’s important to ask the right questions about your manufacturer’s customer service procedures and personnel. Who will be your point of contact? What are their responsibilities in your customer service relationship? Once you’ve made contact, what procedure will they follow to address your concerns and questions?
Each of these questions is crucial to your pre-purchase process. The answers could make or break your short- and long-term relationship with your manufacturer. Do what you can to find the answers before you make your next processing equipment purchase.
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