Everyone likes to shop around and look at upgrading their farm equipment line-up. No matter if you’re looking a new or used equipment, the factors and decision-making process is unique to every farm operation. For many, things like cropping rotation, financial situation and even color preferences are all considered in the purchase process.
A SALFORD EXAMPLE
Salford Group checked in with a potential customer to learn more about his decision process and the factors he’s considering when it comes to buying a new implement for his operation. Eric is a corn, soybean and cover crop seed dealer, that also specializes in custom planting of cover crops in Indiana. Also, has diversified his operation with custom cover crop seeding. His unique business initiative supports local farmers looking to invest in the health and sustainability of their soils, but are too busy with fall harvest when cover crops need to be seeded. Eric has a background in equipment and seed sales and is handy in the shop, maintaining most of his equipment himself. He’s looking to upgrade his seeding equipment and is considering a Valmar 56 Series Pull-Type Pneumatic Seeder. Eric shared the top five factors he’s using to make his decision.
TIME
Time is increasingly becoming the most valuable commodity in any farm business. And when it comes to seeding cover crops, or just about any other type of field work, the working window is short and determined by the weather. Eric seeds approximately 5,000 acres in September and October, making available working time in the field the most important factor to purchasing durable and reliable equipment. “I don’t want any downtime,” he says, explaining that dealer service and the availability of parts when he needs them tops his list of considerations.
DURABILITY
In an effort to maximize time and work with Mother Nature, Eric runs his equipment at higher speeds. The result is increased wear on the equipment and additional maintenance required. That’s why durability and quality are essential to Eric.
SERVICE
In an effort to find the best piece of equipment with the least amount of downtime, Eric is looking for quality and longevity from a manufacturing company that he can trust and is confident will support his service needs. He needs to be able to rely on the availability of parts when he needs them and notes that if he invests in the Valmar 56, he’s confident in the support and dependable relationship his local Salford dealer will provide him.
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
No matter the size or price tag of the implement or piece of farm equipment, the final decision often comes down to crunching the numbers. Financing, feasibility, cash flow and ultimately the return on investment are all financial factors that need to be considered and will be unique to every farm business.
MAKING THE FINAL DECISION
Purchase decisions are important and take time, and Eric has yet to make his final decision. It doesn’t matter if you’re buying new or used, bidding at an auction, talking to a sales representative or scrolling through online equipment listings, most of these considerations will resonate with any farmer interested in buying equipment. Salford Group understands purchase decision are important and can take time. That’s why we’ve developed a variety of tools to assist farmers, including online cost-in-use-calculators to compare your current equipment solution with one of Salford’s, the opportunity to request a quote online and a downloadable Salford Tool Kit app that includes nine calculation tools.
