Driven by smaller contractors in the housing, plant hire, landscaping and owner operator market, demand for compact products has remained strong throughout 2017, with a good outlook heading into 2018. Finning, the UK and Ireland’s sole Caterpillar dealer, has shared in that growth, with its range of 1 – 8 tonne mini-excavators, back-hoes, skid steers, wheel loaders, telehandlers, utility rollers and multi terrain loaders, all finding favour with end users.
Earlier this year the company announced that a number of machines would be available through its Ready2Go initiative, including the Cat 300.9, 305E CR and CB 2.7 Utility Roller. Built around a retail model, Ready2Go is founded on a number of key principles.
Affordability, for instance, is guaranteed by clear pricing, with each machine’s RRP displayed on line and in store, as will the most competitive finance packages available through Caterpillar finance. Many machines are available with zero per cent finance and two-year unlimited hour warranty packages, and every machine will have a price to buy with the monthly payments and weekly equivalents.
Compact machines also come with the security that residuals for Cat models are amongst the best in the marketplace so, come trade in, the customer is in the very best position.
A key factor in today’s fast-moving market is availability. That’s why Finning’s ‘Ready2Go’ range of Cat Compact products are prepped to a good specification, and are available for same day collection or next day delivery.
In addition, each unit is equipped with machine monitoring, whilst the retail model will be further supported by an on-line machine selector and ordering, all supported by parts.cat.com, a 24/7 parts ordering capability that is always open.
The period of ownership is also a critical area to develop from a retail perspective. Maintenance kits for customers who wish to service machines themselves can be provided, as well as offering Finning servicing in branch or on site, all of which can be included in the upfront investment of the machines, giving clear cost of ownership through its operational life cycle.
e-commerce has become a part of our everyday lives, and more and more manufacturers are now ensuring that machine, parts, service and attachment procurement can all be undertaken on line, either via a computer, tablet or smart phone. As well as that, Finning recognise that a branch network and dealer locations is just as critical, as is both a field sales and service team.
In addition, as digitalisation becomes more important, more plant managers are recognising the value of monitoring platforms, using satellite connectivity and telemetry to digitally provide customers with real time machine data that both protects and recovers should theft occur.
These systems can also supply pre-emptive diagnostics alerts to prevent potential problems before they become an unexpected invoice.
Compact machines like their larger counterpart have three periods of ownership, the purchase period, the owning and operating period and the divestment period. Customers are now savvier than ever but recognise that it is not just the buying price that dictates which machine they purchase.
By ensuring Customers get a great product that is Accessible and Available at a competitive price, with a clear finance package, supported by a parts and service product lifetime plan, there has never been a better time to own and operate a Caterpillar Compact Product.
For further information on Finning, the UK and Ireland’s sole Caterpillar dealer, click here.
