Seeking Advice: In the heavy machinery industry, what builds real trust?

[Pave Yu]

Hi everyone,

I’m new to this community and have already seen a lot of great insights from the veterans here. I am from China and I specialize in exporting Chinese machinery brands (such as Zoomlion, Sany, XCMG, and Shantui).

I’m reaching out because I’m facing a bit of a hurdle in business development. My goal isn't just to "sell," but to actually solve problems for my clients. However, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern: I provide detailed quotes, but then communication often goes cold—messages are "read" but not replied to. Even when I emphasize our after-sales support, it’s difficult to get a response or build that initial foundation of trust.

I know that some past experiences with certain exporters may have left a bad taste in some buyers' mouths, and I want to change that narrative.

From your perspective as buyers or industry experts, what is the most critical factor when choosing a partner?

• Is it the initial price?
• Is it the long-term after-sales and parts availability?
• Or is it the technical reliability of the product itself?

How can a new partner demonstrate sincerity and reliability when the "trust barrier" feels so high? I’m genuinely looking to improve my approach and provide real value.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and learning from your experiences.

 

[Zewnten]

Who is going to support the machines a year after the sale is done? How long is it going to take to get the support? Are the machines wonders of modern technology, aka expensive paperweights with electrical issues? How do you support owner repairs? Where are you selling the equipment? Chinese manufacturing has correctly left a bad taste with many companies, even well known companies using Chinese industry.

 

[Tones]

There seems to be to many businesses in China with a here today, gone tomorrow attitude.
Example a Chinese tractor I got has no information about it on the internet. ½hr after getting it home it lost all hydraulics including steering. No parts available so had to make my own or improvise.
Slipping clutch, no information available.
Gearbox problems, no information available.
Happy it's not an earner.
First and last time I buy Chinese.

 

[AMBMike]

In my opinion to sell heavy equipment you need, at a minimum, the following; a quality product, good dealer support, consistent parts availability, a good warranty, a good reputation, and a fair price.

I list the price last because a "fair" price is completely dependent on everything listed before it. I'm willing to pay more for a product with the listed attributes. Start removing any of them and the fair (in my opinion) price drops considerably.

Reputation is the sum of the attributes listed before it plus favorable HONEST reviews from real world users and the amount of time the product has been on the market.

One option for you may be to follow the example of Kia by developing a nationwide stable of currently established, reputable dealers and offering a ridiculously long and comprehensive warranty.

Liebherr made few construction equipment sales in my previous location. The two biggest reasons (in my opinion) were the lower quality machine when compared to comparable Cat or Deere, and poor parts availability. A broken down track loader resting on a 15' high mound of dirt in the middle of a busy jobsite within view of a major highway is very bad advertising. The lead time for the parts for that machine was several months as I remember. When the parts arrived and were installed it was driven from the mound of dirt directly onto a trailer and was hauled to a Ritchie Brothers auction. On the plus side, when new, it cost considerably less than a comparable Cat...

 

[DDoug]

Your exporting several brands ?
That right there shows you don't have a network built up
of dealers, and allot of parts on shelves at these dealers.

Mahrinda tractors was getting big over here.

Local guy got the dealership, tried very hard to make it work.
Had no other brands, was all in on Mahrinda.

Mahrinda USA didn't honor warranty work, didn't keep parts
stocked close by for 2-3 day delivery.

Mahrinda USA screwed over the dealers, he went bankrupt, lost it all.

 

[Pave Yu]

Who is going to support the machines a year after the sale is done? How long is it going to take to get the support? Are the machines wonders of modern technology, aka expensive paperweights with electrical issues? How do you support owner repairs? Where are you selling the equipment? Chinese manufacturing has correctly left a bad taste with many companies, even well known companies using Chinese industry.

Hello, Zewnten. I am deeply grateful for yours and other feedback. I am just an employee, and we operate as a trading company. I intend to offer some suggestions to my boss regarding our after-sales service. Currently, the after-sales support we are able to provide consists of shipping consumable parts and offering remote online guidance for repairs. For certain products manufactured by Zoomlion, we can collaborate with local Zoomlion service centers to facilitate after-sales support. For other products, we do not currently maintain local warehouses capable of supplying spare parts in a timely manner—with the exception of components from well-known international brands, which can typically be purchased locally anywhere. What specific type of after-sales service would instill enough confidence in you to trust a Chinese-made product—and ultimately prompt you to purchase it, provided the price is right?

 

[Pave Yu]

There seems to be to many businesses in China with a here today, gone tomorrow attitude.
Example a Chinese tractor I got has no information about it on the internet. ½hr after getting it home it lost all hydraulics including steering. No parts available so had to make my own or improvise.
Slipping clutch, no information available.
Gearbox problems, no information available.
Happy it's not an earner.
First and last time I buy Chinese.

Hello, Tones. I truly sympathize with your experience. As someone in the industry, it’s painful to hear about a machine becoming a headache rather than a tool.
Out of curiosity—and for my own learning—what was the primary driver that led you to choose a Chinese brand over a local or established western brand in the first place?
We have a huge volume of inquiries on Alibaba platform, for brands like XCMG, Sany, and Zoomlion, or China factory products. However, many buyers drop off after getting the initial price. I'm trying to understand if there is a specific 'missing link' that prevents people from moving forward, or if the risk of 'zero local support' simply outweighs the cost savings once they think it through.

 

[Pave Yu]

Who is going to support the machines a year after the sale is done? How long is it going to take to get the support? Are the machines wonders of modern technology, aka expensive paperweights with electrical issues? How do you support owner repairs? Where are you selling the equipment? Chinese manufacturing has correctly left a bad taste with many companies, even well known companies using Chinese industry.

We mainly export our products to Africa, South America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

 

[Pave Yu]

In my opinion to sell heavy equipment you need, at a minimum, the following; a quality product, good dealer support, consistent parts availability, a good warranty, a good reputation, and a fair price.

I list the price last because a "fair" price is completely dependent on everything listed before it. I'm willing to pay more for a product with the listed attributes. Start removing any of them and the fair (in my opinion) price drops considerably.

Reputation is the sum of the attributes listed before it plus favorable HONEST reviews from real world users and the amount of time the product has been on the market.

One option for you may be to follow the example of Kia by developing a nationwide stable of currently established, reputable dealers and offering a ridiculously long and comprehensive warranty.

Liebherr made few construction equipment sales in my previous location. The two biggest reasons (in my opinion) were the lower quality machine when compared to comparable Cat or Deere, and poor parts availability. A broken down track loader resting on a 15' high mound of dirt in the middle of a busy jobsite within view of a major highway is very bad advertising. The lead time for the parts for that machine was several months as I remember. When the parts arrived and were installed it was driven from the mound of dirt directly onto a trailer and was hauled to a Ritchie Brothers auction. On the plus side, when new, it cost considerably less than a comparable Cat...

Hello AMBMike, thank you very much for your sharing and valuable suggestions. It is well worth my time to think carefully about them.

 

[Tones]

Hello, Tones. I truly sympathize with your experience. As someone in the industry, it’s painful to hear about a machine becoming a headache rather than a tool.
Out of curiosity—and for my own learning—what was the primary driver that led you to choose a Chinese brand over a local or established western brand in the first place?
We have a huge volume of inquiries on Alibaba platform, for brands like XCMG, Sany, and Zoomlion, or China factory products. However, many buyers drop off after getting the initial price. I'm trying to understand if there is a specific 'missing link' that prevents people from moving forward, or if the risk of 'zero local support' simply outweighs the cost savings once they think it through.

The primary use was for my own property maintenance and has the hp required. What I wasn't expecting was a piece of unreliable crap. Were was made is a major contribution to the lack of quality. I also own an old Japanese tractor(Hinomoto)1975 model which is near the end of life but is still far more reliable and some parts are still available.
In my past I have operated a Chinese made excavator which wasn't any different in the quantity of engineering, glad I didn't own that. That machine was sold as scrap metal back to China.

 

[chidog]

Making a quality product is most important. Having a nice low price is nice, but super hard to do now with the tariff stuff. And yeah having the parts and service support is nice too. Strive to use less and less electronics on off road machines, sorta difficult now too. I like the looks of the Komatsu lookalike dozers from China. Would love to get the test one and give some ideas for improvements etc.

 

[Pave Yu]

Making a quality product is most important. Having a nice low price is nice, but super hard to do now with the tariff stuff. And yeah having the parts and service support is nice too. Strive to use less and less electronics on off road machines, sorta difficult now too. I like the looks of the Komatsu lookalike dozers from China. Would love to get the test one and give some ideas for improvements etc.

Totally agree with your point. Quality is always our top priority. We listen to negative feedback in order to improve the quality of our products.Tariffs really put a lot of pressure on pricing these days, and we fully understand that. We also keep focusing on spare parts supply and after-sales service to support our customers. Are there specific brand and model for the dozers like the one from Komatsu? If needed, I am happy to assist you with this.

 

[HarleyHappy]

Think the biggest hurdle, is the price point and the belief that you could get a reasonably good part for 1/10, if not more of a price point AND BELIEVE IT !
The is a guy here Universal Parts and while he or the members that may have used him, have posted no success stories, as of yet and he’s been here 3 years.
I will say, the next time I need a major part, I will try him out as on certain things, I have no brand loyalty.
Especially, when I can get a drive motor, with great service, a decent warranty, for 1/6th the price from Fridays Parts.

 

[Zewnten]

Hello, Zewnten. I am deeply grateful for yours and other feedback. I am just an employee, and we operate as a trading company. I intend to offer some suggestions to my boss regarding our after-sales service. Currently, the after-sales support we are able to provide consists of shipping consumable parts and offering remote online guidance for repairs. For certain products manufactured by Zoomlion, we can collaborate with local Zoomlion service centers to facilitate after-sales support. For other products, we do not currently maintain local warehouses capable of supplying spare parts in a timely manner—with the exception of components from well-known international brands, which can typically be purchased locally anywhere. What specific type of after-sales service would instill enough confidence in you to trust a Chinese-made product—and ultimately prompt you to purchase it, provided the price is right?

You've answered your own question in this post. If you can't support it don't sell it. It will poison the sale of the equipment you are able to support, support means machine back in use in a week excluding some bad luck or catastrophic failure.

Honestly Chinese manufacturing deserves the reputation it has. I am sure it could be as good as anything else out there but everything I have seen so far lacks pride and education in assembly.

 

[aussiechunda]

Hi everyone,

I’m new to this community and have already seen a lot of great insights from the veterans here. I am from China and I specialize in exporting Chinese machinery brands (such as Zoomlion, Sany, XCMG, and Shantui).

I’m reaching out because I’m facing a bit of a hurdle in business development. My goal isn't just to "sell," but to actually solve problems for my clients. However, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern: I provide detailed quotes, but then communication often goes cold—messages are "read" but not replied to. Even when I emphasize our after-sales support, it’s difficult to get a response or build that initial foundation of trust.

I know that some past experiences with certain exporters may have left a bad taste in some buyers' mouths, and I want to change that narrative.

From your perspective as buyers or industry experts, what is the most critical factor when choosing a partner?

• Is it the initial price?
• Is it the long-term after-sales and parts availability?
• Or is it the technical reliability of the product itself?

How can a new partner demonstrate sincerity and reliability when the "trust barrier" feels so high? I’m genuinely looking to improve my approach and provide real value.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and learning from your experiences.

As a hme operator if i was expected to give up my japanese/american machines for Chinese trash I would find another job. That stuff belongs in 3rd world countries. If it could compete it would but it doesnt.
What even is the Chinese competition for something like a cat988xe? How does it compare in performance, cost, reliability, part availability, repairability?
Those things are why John deere fails at hme so its not exclusively a Chinese problem.