“No one will buy a $250,000 machine online”! “But this is a relationship business!” I’ve heard those 2 comments repeatedly. First, Ritchie Brothers and Bidadoo have sold Billions (with a ‘B’) of equipment online, as-is where is. The crowd that clings to those two statements are missing the greater point: the shift towards online transactions is due to customers placing more value on their time than ever before. Why fly to an auction site when I can bid or buy the machine online without any interruption on my daily routine? I was reminded of this the other day when I was speaking with a construction contractor who owns his company. His insight is incredibly relevant since he started his career as an equipment salesperson and therefore knows both sides of the supplier/consumer dynamic personally. When we were discussing the growing influence of technology in the equipment industry, he mentioned to me: “As a salesperson I was trained to call on customers in person every day. Now that I’m on the other side, I’m always squeezed for time. We’re trying to grow our business. I’m out trying to land jobs for our people. I don’t have time to meet sales reps for a beer or go to dinner. It’s nothing personal… If I’m not in the office or on one of our jobsites, I want to be with my family.” READ FULL ARTICLE>>
