For more than 30 years, Arbor Age magazine has been covering new and innovative products, services, technology and research vital to tree care companies, municipal arborists and utility right-of-way maintenance companies
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/605325
10 WINTER 2015 ARBOR AGE www.arborage.com SPECIAL FEATURE Arbor Age: What are some of the key factors driving the buying decisions of professional arborists? Better profits: If there is a better way to make a profit at less cost, smart, progressive tree companies are quickly embracing this new technology. Safety: Insurance companies are tightening their safety standard requirements and are cancelling insurance policies or raising premiums astronomically, due to the high accident and fatality rates in the tree industry. LENNY POLONSKI, MANAGER AT ALL ACCESS EQUIPMENT Professional arborists, like everyone, will always consider price and value when buying products. They need tools that make their jobs easier, not ones that complicate them. One of the most important factors for professional arborists buying products is safety. We are aware of these issues, and believe our AirSpade line of products aligns with these buying considerations. They are easy to use because they are lightweight and operate with dead-man triggers. RICK SWEET, AIRSPADE PRODUCT SPECIALIST AT GUARDAIR CORPORATION Service has become the main factor in purchase decisions today. Arborists depend on manufacturers not only to provide quality products, but also to support them long after the sale is complete. BILL SCHAFER, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT SUPERVISOR FOR LOFTNESS ANSI Certifications (Europe and Canada, too). Ship- ping cost and competitive price. MITCH CARB, MARKETING MANAGER, SHERRILLTREE We find that arborists are seeking great value from their products, but need the professional features. Power, performance, dependability (minimal downtime) and quality are hallmarks of the Stihl product line, and why we believe arborists use our products. KENT HALL, PRODUCT MANAGER AT STIHL The two biggest factors that impact equipment design/ manufacturing/sales are pricing and availability. As mentioned, a trend we're seeing is that when customers do make an equipment purchase, they are adding equipment that meets of their specific business objectives — whether that is to increase efficiency, enhance productivity or fit into a particular market or application. Because of this, pricing is a significant consideration when customers are purchasing new trucks. Another major consideration is consistency within the customer's fleet. The more common components a customer has among his or her tree equipment, the more streamlined the purchasing process is in the future, because he or she doesn't have to remember what components on which trucks/ aerial devices are custom and where those custom components were specially sourced from. By basing a truck's/aerial devices' specifications on standard options and accessories, customers get a vehicle that meets its crews' needs, adheres to the company's work practices, saves money, and takes less time to produce because the design and construction phase of the purchasing process is considerably shorter. DENNIS POULAKOS, TEREX SERVICES NORTH AMERICA Product longevity is key. An arborist wants to know that the product they purchase will have a long useful life with proper maintenance. This helps to control the cost of operation. The market also wants to partner with a knowledgeable dealer who can provide superb service and support after the sale, but is also a resource and has expertise in the arborist industry and can advise in overall business versus just serving their equipment needs. TODD ROORDA, TREE CARE AND RENTAL SALES MANAGER, VERMEER CORPORATION