A Crown executive has warned that small-scale forklift repair businesses have pushed the industry into "caveat emptor" (buyer beware).

Glenn Pulley, executive director at Crown's Asia-Pacific head office, said the cheapest hourly rate often turned out to be the most costly in lost production and occupational health and safety risk.

"While many service technicians run perfectly able businesses in this industry, the majority of problems stem from undercutting competition to take clients away from manufacturers' maintenance plans," he said.

"Although we can assume external maintenance providers generally have good skill and intentions, they often operate outside the technical direction of the companies that build lift trucks and are regulated only by their own actions."

Mr Pulley said companies faced potential lawsuits if their service technicians were not reputable. "One-man bands" often had no assets and could not pay damages.

"Anyone can pour oil or grease nipples, but servicing a lift truck is more than that," he said. "Price should definitely not be the deciding factor when choosing a service technician."