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Sales: approaching potential customers to use job shop parts vs oem

Stirling

Hot Rolled
Joined
Dec 11, 2013
Location
Alberta canada
I've got a tiny shop (garage stuffed with cnc's)
I have a customer that keeps me busy enough, but I would like to do some sales calls and expand my customer base.
My target market is equipment rental company's and fleet maintenance company's. Medium to heavy equipment fleets.

I know I can compleat on the parts I want to build for some of there equipment, but convincing them to purchase from me vs a "across the water" oem is my concern.

Any advice?
I know I can provide a quality product at below oem price. But being "the new guy" I need to sell credibility
 
What sort of parts? They could be worried about liability if one of your non-OEM parts fails.
 
I'm not sure how successful that would be. Around here the rental houses are mostly part of a huge regional or national chain. They don't really have any purchasing authority. If they need parts, it goes through a corporate purchasing department who buys from a preferred supplier (and I assume can negotiate a better price).

I would think you would be better off talking to small businesses like your own.
 
the thing that works for me is just talking to them. worst case scenario they throw your butt out which is most of the time. in that case what did you lose? nothing. you weren't making money off of them before and your still not.but the practice is good.
 
I work for an OEM. We hate pirates. They force us to do better (work harder). Of course, after the pirate parts poop their jammies, the customer calls us for advice :angry:

If you want to build a business, you need to offer parts that will save the customer money over the life of the part. Your potential customer's mechanics probably have ideas how parts could be made better. Maybe you can make some sales on better delivery times.
 
I work for an OEM. We hate pirates. They force us to do better (work harder). Of course, after the pirate parts poop their jammies, the customer calls us for advice :angry:

If you want to build a business, you need to offer parts that will save the customer money over the life of the part. Your potential customer's mechanics probably have ideas how parts could be made better. Maybe you can make some sales on better delivery times.

This is where you'll get your sales. Focus on the uncommon parts your customer has.

A lot of the non-stock stuff I've seen is 10-12 weeks delivery, and they could care less about expediting an order of 2 random parts.
 
You will never know until you talk to them. You will need to find their purchasing dept. and go from there. You will never know until you try.
 
Garage full of CNCs and "medium to heavy" equipment doesn't seem like it mixes.
The best I think you could hope for there, is maybe emergency repair of something til they can get a replacement in-hand.

Not sure what you mean when you say rental companies. Like if I need to rent a rototiller?
My experience is those guys don't give 2 effs about the equipment.
 
Garage full of CNCs and "medium to heavy" equipment doesn't seem like it mixes.
The best I think you could hope for there, is maybe emergency repair of something til they can get a replacement in-hand.

Not sure what you mean when you say rental companies. Like if I need to rent a rototiller?
My experience is those guys don't give 2 effs about the equipment.

I'm more geared towards oilfield rental equipment.
Obviously I Cannot do the whole unit, but there is lots of smaller parts replaced on a daily basis. Lots of types equipment.
In my region I hope to target pumps/fluid transfer rentals.
Think 300hp centrifuge and such. Lots of wear items when pumping mud!
I'm not looking to do repairs of any kind. New replacement parts only
Shooting for fast turn around and good prices.
It's the "trust me" factor I am not sure how to sell.
 
Any advice?

But being "the new guy" I need to sell credibility

Like others have said, go talk to them. Give your pitch, and them let them do the talking.

Regarding credibility, don't pretend to be a salesman. Let them know you're a better machinist than a sales guy, and that you're not bad at improving crappy designed parts. Ask them if they have any crappy stuff they're tired of working around.

I saw someone say on here before, that they would go into shops and listen for the guys cussing loudly. They would head that direction, because there was sure to be a problem that needing addressed, that he could provide...
 
I've got a tiny shop (garage stuffed with cnc's)
I have a customer that keeps me busy enough, but I would like to do some sales calls and expand my customer base.
My target market is equipment rental company's and fleet maintenance company's. Medium to heavy equipment fleets.

I know I can compleat on the parts I want to build for some of there equipment, but convincing them to purchase from me vs a "across the water" oem is my concern.

Any advice?
I know I can provide a quality product at below oem price. But being "the new guy" I need to sell credibility

it will cost you a dozen donuts and container of coffee to find out. Go meet them during a slow time of their morning (find out what time that might be ahead of time) and go visit.

Listen to them before saying what you can do or what you have. I have a machine shop and want to see if you have some business I can take care of for you.. who wants a donut? Go from there.
 








 
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