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A question every plumber, electrician, HVAC contractor, and service fleet owner should consider.
When the time comes to purchase another work truck or service van, how do you make that decision?
Do you call the same truck dealer, order the same brand of service body or shelving, and duplicate the configuration you've used for years?
Or do you investigate whether newer equipment, different manufacturers, and alternative storage arrangements might improve the efficiency of your business?
There's nothing wrong with buying what has worked well in the past. But there's a difference between buying what you know and knowing what you could buy.
The Comfort of Familiarity
Many contractors develop long-standing relationships with truck dealerships and equipment distributors. They know which products have worked for them, what their employees are accustomed to, and what they can expect in terms of service and reliability.
That familiarity has real value.
However, manufacturers continually introduce new materials, storage systems, accessories, and vehicle configurations.
A shelving arrangement that worked well ten years ago may no longer be the best arrangement for the tools, equipment, and supplies technicians carry today.
How Much Do You Know About the Alternatives?
Consider the various manufacturers of commercial van shelving and work truck service bodies.
Some offer lightweight aluminum equipment. Others manufacture steel systems or use combinations of materials. Storage layouts, drawers, bins, ladder racks, and security features vary considerably.
Have you compared these alternatives recently?
More importantly, have you considered how each configuration affects the daily activities of your employees?
Start With the Work, Not the Truck
Before selecting your next vehicle, consider asking your technicians a few questions:
• Which tools and supplies do you use most frequently?
• What equipment is difficult to locate or retrieve?
• Are you carrying materials that are seldom used?
• Would a different shelving arrangement reduce unnecessary movement?
• Are tools and materials adequately secured?
• What would you change about your current truck or van?
Their answers may reveal opportunities to improve productivity, safety, and organization.
The Lowest Purchase Price May Not Be the Lowest Cost
A work truck is more than transportation. For many tradespeople, it is a mobile workshop, warehouse, and office.
A lower-priced equipment package may save money initially. But if its layout causes technicians to waste time searching for tools or retrieving materials, those savings can quickly disappear.
Likewise, an expensive configuration does not automatically guarantee better productivity.
The objective should be to select equipment that provides the greatest value for the work being performed.
Before You Order Another Truck, Ask One Question
Are we purchasing this equipment because it is the best solution for our business—or simply because it is what we've always purchased?
At WorkInTrucks.com, we believe contractors should have the information necessary to make informed decisions about their vehicles, equipment, and storage configurations.
Our goal is to help buyers understand the alternatives before they make their next investment.
What about your company? When you purchase another work truck or service van, do you repeat your previous order, ask your dealer for recommendations, or investigate other brands and configurations?
We would like to hear how you make that decision.
How does your company usually select its next work truck or van equipment?
We generally reorder the same brand and configuration.
We rely primarily on our truck dealer or equipment distributor.
We compare multiple brands and configurations.
We involve technicians in evaluating equipment alternatives.
We analyze operating costs and productivity before buying.
