When Would You Like It?

May 3, 2012

In case you haven’t noticed, the world is closing in. Objects in your personal rear view mirror are a heck of a lot closer than they appear.

Communication is across the globe in a flash; there are no boundaries. As you’re painfully aware when you buy diesel fuel, a geopolitical hiccup in the Middle East leads to a rise in speculation on Wall Street, and suddenly you’re paying 10 percent more to run your fleet.

There’s a 24-hour international news and business cycle now, like it or not. And there’s no longer a line between work and life. One spills into the other. Business info and brand messaging get to you on your smart phone or iPad any time of day or night.

But how much do you want to know, and when?

Quite a few equipment manufacturers introduced new machines last month at Intermat in Paris; some took the time to detail what was available in North America and what wasn’t. Others didn’t reveal the timing of exactly when units destined for this market would be sold here.

We tweeted (https://twitter.com/#!/ConstructionEqt), posted (www.constructionequipment.com), and disseminated product introductions as quickly as we could. That’s our business, and we want equipment managers and buyers to know what innovations are available as soon as possible.

A couple of manufacturers who follow us have objected to our posting of new machines that won’t be available until later in the year. I’m guessing they are concerned, and rightfully so, about selling what remains on dealer lots. Understandable, but let’s be more clear about that up front. Let’s include all the details about the steak along with the sizzle.

I was in their shoes at one time, having worked on the OEM side of this business, so I know it’s important to both protect and move inventory. But putting information in the hands of a journalist is like giving a toddler a cookie. It’s going…somewhere. And fast. The toddler innately knows something’s owed to the tummy. We owe information to you, our readers. We feel it in our stomachs.

This raises a few questions for you, our audience:

1) Do you care if the previous model is still on a dealer lot and the new machine isn’t coming to North America for five months? (Maybe you might, if the older model is priced to sell?)

2) Given there will be that delay before the machine arrives, do you still want to know exactly what’s coming?

3) And, do you ever note the timing of machine introductions as you plan purchases?

Let us know what you think by posting your replies below. You don’t have to be on Facebook to do so. Or, you can e-mail me at [email protected]. It’s easy, and you can also take the opportunity to tell me I need a new haircut, skin care help, or that you don’t like my writing.

I’ll hazard a guess that the savvy manager does want to know what’s coming. Let’s see if I’m right.

If so, we’ll keep telling you -- unless we’re expressly told not to.

About the Author

Frank Raczon

Raczon’s writing career spans nearly 25 years, including magazine publishing and public relations work with some of the industry’s major equipment manufacturers. He has won numerous awards in his career, including nods from the Construction Writers Association, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, and BtoB magazine. He is responsible for the magazine's Buying Files.

Frank Raczon, Construction Equipment
Mark Pentz, Calvin Group/IEDA
Mark Pentz, Calvin Group/IEDA
Mark Pentz, Calvin Group/IEDA
Mark Pentz, Calvin Group/IEDA
Mark Pentz, Calvin Group/IEDA
ID 9194607 © Arak7 | Dreamstime.com
ID 9194607 © Arak7 | Dreamstime.com