There are many different reasons why businesses require the services of a company offering machinery hire. A lot of businesses go down this route when one of their own machines have broken down, or when demand is high, or they have a job that is bigger than what they usually handle. No matter your reason for requiring machinery hire, there is no denying that you need to choose a hire company with a considerable amount of care. Read on to discover some of the key questions to ask before signing on the dotted line.
What machines do you have available that are suited to the task at hand? The first thing you will obviously want to enquire about is the selection of machines the company has available. Of course, by browsing their website you should be able to see whether they have everything from dumpers and excavators to forklifts and access platforms, if you are looking for construction equipment, yet you will want to delve deeper than this. You will want to know all about the size of the machine, the operational efficiency, what it has been designed for, the make of the machine, and such like. Or, maybe you are looking for an automatic cutting machine? Is this your bog standard machine or an industrial level one? After all, even though you are only hiring the machine, this does not mean that you want to compromise in terms of quality and effectiveness.
How is the delivery and pick-up of the machine handled? All machinery hire companies have different procedures in place for the delivery and collection of the machine. Most of them will arrange a convenient time and location with you, whereby they will drop off and collect the machine in question. However, there are some companies that will expect you to do the journey, so don’t take anything for granted and make sure you ask beforehand.
Are contracts flexible? There is always the chance that a project is going to run over the deadline or that you may require the machine longer than you anticipated, and this is why it is a good idea to determine whether the contract is going to be flexible or not. You want to be safe in the knowledge that you can cover all eventualities, and if there is a chance that you will need to extend your contract you will be able to do so. The same could apply if you are wondering about finishing the contract earlier too and whether that can be arranged, although this is something that will be dependent on whether the machinery hire company is available to collect the machine on the new date. Some companies also offer financing and lease options.
Can I take a look at some of your testimonials? Last but not least, it is always advisable to take a look at the reviews that have been left by previous customers. If the company in question is reluctant to show you these, then you need to ask yourself why. Could it be because they don’t have a good reputation? Customer reviews provide you with a unique perspective because you get to discover about the company and their services from someone who was once in your shoes.
