forum/thread.asp?trid=4155
I hope you don't think I took too much out of context.
imho, the differences are that you can drive a car to and from the dealer, you can not drive a forklift to or from the dealer

Sure you can copy and paste it.
I believe that this industry will be transformed into the automobile industry model where outside sales people will be replaced by inside sales people and demo's will only happen at the dealers shop. There isn't enough profit in forklift trucks to sustain the way it is done now.
It has been my experience that the dealers and manuafcturers that give and give before the sale have the worst customer service after the sale. They gotta get back what they gave up front-and they do.
It isn't apples and oranges. It reminds me of the special news features which tell the consumer how to get a better deal when they buy a new car. I always wanted to do a feature on how to get a better deal on television advertising.

OK I have to agree that it is a competitive market based on what the market/customer will stand for, and if in your part of the world, it is normal that a qualified customer, [and I would fully expect the sales department to do due diligence and qualify the customer first,] not be provided a demo for a day or 2, then no demo would be fine, and not something the other brands dealers do to get their foot in the door.
Put your self in the customers shoes for a second, they get the Toyota, Hyster and Mitsubishi forklift dealers to demo a truck for a day, the get a free service call to see how quickly and professionally the service department can help them with a question about the setup of the truck, and meet the tech who would be their contact to the dealer, but the Raymond, Crown, Cat and Yale dealers are not willing to demo a truck, for whatever reasons, maybe they say they can knock off 500.00 from the sale price by not demoing a truck or that it is the same truck as the other brand from the same parent company. As the customer, which dealers now have a better impression? The ones that want to save money by keeping the expense down for themselves?

However, comparing "capital goods" sales to "service tech's time" sales is more like comparing apples to oranges, and getting off the original topic, would you be willing to allow me to copy and paste your comparison into another discussion topic, in the "Business management" forum, because it deserves some further conversation and I would love to address it?

Sorry Edward t but I totally disagree. Just because a dealer doesn't want to go through the expense of demoing, they shouldn't be considered?
Here is a guy that is searching the internet for advice on what truck to buy. The last I knew most dealers had telephones and you can actually call them, speak to someone about what they sell and maybe even drive to their facility to look at all kinds of trucks.
What if a customer said they wanted a mechanic to come and fix their forklift truck for free and if they liked their work then they might call them back next time..... Better yet call 5 different ones and then see which one you like the best.

I actually think that if you wait about 3 weeks, your local Cat Lifttruck and/or Mitsubishi forklift dealers are going to be falling all over themselves with the desire to sell you one of their new offerings, and you may well find the cost of service to be considerably less (per man hour, and how long the warranty will be in effect, and for which components) than what the previous mentioned brands are.
You should be able to recognize we are all prejudiced toward those brands we are either tied into, or have the most knowledge of, which is not the same thing as knowing what is "best for your operation".
Any dealer that won't at the least provide a demo unit should not be considered.

Excellant idea, by renting you can discover if there any problems you overlooked with turning radius, lift capabilities, tire wear , etc. I am a Raymond tech and I like the AC motor units by far over the DC, they run faster, batteries last longer and give less trouble than DC units. But the Pacer has been a workhorse where I work with over 50k miles on them in and out of trailers, they are DC models. Service is the key factor on any vehicle.

Call Ray.Yale.etc, Dealership let them know your requirements and send a CRS.When you get the info RENT the unit or Demo for a few days.My preference a 1988 Raymond 20i with a new battery your ahead of the game.GOOD LUCK

If you've been happy with the Raymond Op's and their service, then sticking with Raymond would be the right choice.

I, personally, like the Yale/Hyster units over the others.
However, to the best of my knowledge, the nacco units are, still, not brushless; Raymond has the upper-hand there.

to minimize downtime purchase machines based on their job and environment

dont buy stand up units if they are going outside
youll want another lp or a sitdown electric thats weather packed

I'd suggest you look at Raymond since you are already running their order pickers. You did not specify if you are using them as dock trucks or in aisles or both. I suspect both, I'd look hard at Raymond Pacer models. It makes life a little easier for you with the same brand. The technician will already know your account, and your likes and dislikes. If you specify the same battery size as your orderpickers you can swap between units (The Raymond rep can help you withthis), and if you loose a battery you have the option of 'borrowing' from a less used piece of equipment.
Raymond is also offering their new trucks (both Pacer/Dock trucks and reach trucks in an 'AC' Model. This will give you longer battery life. If you are with a smaller company, with a fixed budget look at their newer pre owned equipment, and ensure that you get a good warranty that will last through your learning curve, and cover you for a while in your normal usage - at least 6 months.