The customer service received from Clark Equipment swayed one New South Wales farmer to choose Bobcat for his first ever tractor purchase
Australian agriculture is a diverse industry and it is important to remember that two people might purchase the same machine with completely different priorities.
Bobcat’s UT6580 is the largest utility tractor within the manufacturer’s range, offering a 75hp (56kW) engine and marking a step up from the compact models which are also available.
For many experienced buyers, this additional power might be a crucial factor in moving to the larger utility tractor.
Hamish Meek, who is a “part-time” farmer buying his first tractor, was swayed as much by the customer service as any of the tractor’s technical features.
Hamish and his wife Bianca purchased about 150 acres of land earlier this year and were seeking a general, all-purpose tractor to complete jobs such as fencing and slashing.
While it may have been his first ever tractor purchase, Hamish has been involved with buying and selling machinery and has used Bobcat’s construction machinery before.
It was for this reason that Bobcat entered his list of possible brands, but it was the customer service he received during the process which secured the sale.
Won over
Bobcat Australia is a division of Clark Equipment, whose Newcastle branch is located close to Hamish’s farm in Booral.
Hamish dealt with Clark sales representative Aaron Becroft and cited his experience throughout the process as a major reason why he chose the Bobcat tractor over alternative options.
“We did our research and found they had one of the better utility tractors,” Hamish says. “Bobcat is a good brand backed by a big company but to be honest, we put the feelers out for everybody.
“Some of them didn’t come back to us at all, and Bobcat were there on the spot at the time, so they got the sale.
“Being conveniently located to the farm – they’re only 20 minutes away – meant it all fell in place quite easily for us.
“One of the major buying decisions was the fact you have confidence that a company is keen enough to apply the basic customer service.”
Receiving this service, and the “refreshing” experience of being treated like he was not just another number, gave Hamish confidence the purchase would be positive.
“I went and checked out the machine. They were accommodating and said ‘here, have the keys’ and got one of the service guys to come and walk through the machine,” he says.
“That was another big bonus and by sheer accident, we got a little bit more technical information, which is good to me.
“I was confident in the brand, I just needed to be confident in the people and they were the most accommodating.”
For someone buying their first ever tractor, it is a considerable investment that needs to not only play a crucial role on the farm but be backed by service and support which inspires long-term confidence.
“There are a few things that go into buying decisions,” Hamish says.
“It’s an $85,000 tractor and it’s nothing to be sneezed at, but their after-sales support was excellent – they came and showed me everything.
“They spent that afternoon with me making sure that I was comfortable with the machine and said they’re only a phone call away.
“The personal contact with the business and the people within it was really good, and those things are important to me.
“I just like the fact they’re honest and did what they said.
“I hate to label it like they’re country people for country people, but I found it refreshing to have that foundation of sales support which seems to be fading.
“It was the right price, right delivery time, good contact and good customer service.”
Comfortable ride
Hamish does not farm full-time, instead working in sales for the steel industry which is so important to the Newcastle region.
He also previously worked for a business which “used to buy three or four machines a year”, meaning he is well versed in machinery and sales from both the buying and selling perspectives.
This helps to explain why the customer service experience was so important to his inaugural tractor purchase, but naturally the machine itself also needs to be a success on the farm.
While it remains a relatively new acquisition, and one that is not used every day, Hamish has cited both reliability and ergonomics as features which have impressed him.
“Because I’m a part-time farmer and not full-time, I need to go to the property, turn the key and hit start and have it operate exactly how it should,” he says.
“You want it to be reliable and then get in it every week and it starts.”
It has been a proven performer for Hamish so far, with the added comfort of knowing support from Clark Equipment is “around the corner” if needed.
Comfort also extends to his operator experience, with Hamish citing this as a major benefit and describing the ergonomics as “awesome”.
“The cabin is really noise suppressing, which is awesome because you don’t need to wear earmuffs all day,” he says.
“Being in a cab that keeps the noise down, when you’re out there for a couple of hours in the paddock slashing, it makes it comfortable.
“There’s no dust, you can get the air conditioning and stereo going, and another one of the good features is the ergonomic placement of the four-in-one bucket controls.
“It’s different to the others that I’ve tried, because the others just come from the dashboard out towards you but this one comes up like a gear stick lever and is really comfortable to use.
“Even the glass placement is great. Some people don’t find that important, but I find viewing everything is excellent.
“I’m more than satisfied with it and I would recommend them.”
The full Bobcat range can be viewed online at www.bobcatofaustralia.com.au