How do you pick the right equipment?

Learning about products in the digital age is easy, yet over whelming.

People can find anything they need to know about a product by typing into Google, looking at images, articles, and videos.

Picture of Movie (1)

Companies use media to their advantage by providing extra tools to help sell their products and make comparisons to other competitor's equipment.  By giving their consumers visual evidence of how products look and operate, companies are able to gain more consumer loyalty by showcasing everything about their product.  Check out this article How effective are videos? to learn more about how effective videos are on a company's web page.

Who doesn't like to know all of the facts before purchasing a large investment? I know I do.  There are plenty of people who dive into research while others skim the basics.  By having detailed or basic fact videos, a wide range of consumers can be reached based on their habits for consuming information.  Has it been tested to see if videos make a difference in selling habits?  From the article, Videos sell products - even if users don't actually watch them, one group of people conducted an experient and found that people who had seen an video on a webpage or had the option to watch a video were more likely to purchase an item.  Read the case study here to learn more about video marketing.

Relating the use of videos to my blog topic on machinery companies, they use media to help them compare against other companies too.  The video below showcases Bobcat machines verses other competitor machines, allowing consumers to get an understanding of the product. Click the video below to learn more.

     

Serviceability Comparison: Bobcat Advantage for Compact Track Loaders

The main take away from this post: media can be a great tool to use when selling or comparing products.

Using media is an advantage in an extremely competetive market and it can help the company to boost sales by creating better resources for consumers to use for research. 

1. Picture of Movie.  Retrieved from www.smartrenewalenergy.com 

2. Bobcat Company. (2011) Serviceability comparison: Bobcat Advantage for compact track loaders. Retrieved from  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6m72pffkBQ .

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Kubota Has a Relationship with Bobcat Company?

Kubota Logo (1)

Competetor machinery companies and products never end!  In is field, there are many competetors, but also allies.  Take Kubota and Bobcat Company for instance.  In the previous blog, Bobcat Company's brief history was summarized and their products described.  But, did you know in older model Bobcat machines and select newer models are made with a Kubota engine?  How can this be?  Review the history below. 

For Earth, For Life

Kubota is is known for their compact equipment

and their wide range of machinery.  They offer

tractors, lawn mowers, walk-behind mowers,

 utility vehicles, construction equipment, hay

 tools, and even spreaders.  

In most situations, Kubota can help.

This short 3 minute video below gives a very 

fast, brief overview of the Kubota history and 

what their company is doing today. Take a look

 at Kubota U.S. 40 Year History Video (2)!

With the brief history of Kubota and Bobcat firmly in your mind, it is easier to see that these two companies have similar products, consumers, and even engines.  The difference between the companies is their engine.  Kubota's engines are well known by their users and competitor companies for excellent performance.  After an extensive search, it is unclear when the Kubota engine was introduced to Bobcat company but all models of Bobcat equipment, until recently, have had the Kubota engine.

Bobcat Skid-Steer Loader (3)

The main concern in the media for both companies is a breaking news.  Bobcat Company will no longer be using Kubota engines in their newer models as they have partnered with their parent company Doosan to reduce emissions and have Tier-4 compliant machines.  Tier-4 is a standard for equipment to be as energy efficient and green as possible under new stipulations.

Below is a screen shot of a statement found on the Bobcat Company website about their new transition from Kubota.

Bobcat Screen shot of Kubota relationship statement (4)

According to an article from The Construction Index online, Bobcat to switch from Kubota to own-brand engines (2014), Kubota will not be supplying Bobcat Company with engines for later models of machinery but will still continue to produce engines and maintain warranties on select machines.

Kubota Engine (6)

"Bobcat will continue to use Kubota engines in selected machines in the range and will provide parts and honour warranties on machines previously sold with Kubota engines.  As Kubota engines represent the largest population of engines in Bobcat machines, the Bobcat dealer network has strong competence in servicing these engines and will continue to service Kubota engines in selected Bobcat products"(5).

To read and learn more about the engine switch from Kubota to Doosan, check out the article here.

Never seen a Kubota engine before?  That picture above and on their Kubota Engine website can walk you through different styles and models they have available.  Check out Kubota's roaring engines.

References 

1.  Kubota Logo.  Retrieved from logosandbrands.directory
2.  Kubota Tractor. (2012)  Kubota U.S. 40 Year History Video.  Retrieved from
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJIqB4ixttE
3.  Bobcat Skid-Steer Loader.  Retrieved from bobcat.com
4.  Bobcat Screen shot of Kubota relationship statement.  Retrieved from  http://www.bobcat.eu/bobcat/innovation-technology/bobcat-engine/bobcat-engine-faq.page? 
5.  The Construction Index (2014).  Bobcat to switch from Kubota to own-brand engines.  Retrieved from http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/bobcat-to-switch-from-kubota-to-own-brand-engines  

6. Kubota Engine. Retrieved from http://www.kubotaengine.com/