Whilst hiring a telehandler may seem at first glance to be a relatively simple task, it’s actually quite easy to get wrong.
So this article is a few tips on the things to look for when hiring a telehandler, to provide the best experience and service for you.
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What type of telehandler do you need to hire?
Whilst this may seem a very obvious question, it’s not often considered fully when a hirer is hiring a telehandler.
There’s many reasons for this, not least that a hirer has hired a telehandler before and so asks for the model he knows – e.g. manufacturer, size, etc.
But what guarantees that this telehandler is what he actually NEEDS? That’s right – nothing.
So the first step in hiring a telehandler is to deal with a company that asks your requirements, such as :-
- working area available
- vertical height to be lifted up to
- maximum weight to be lifted
- maximum size to be lifted
- any specialist access requirements (e.g. 4WD, wheeled, or tracked?)
So when you are hiring a telehandler, ensure your telehandler hire company checks your requirements.
Availability of suitable telehandlers
Be careful when hiring telehandlers, as often hire companies do not have the correct size/model available and often send a larger item (even if the charge the same rate).
Whilst this may sound a good deal, bear in mind it will be wasted money if the telehandler supplied does not do the job it’s needed to do (e.g. if it’s too large to fit into the working area).
So, when hiring a telehandler, ensure you are dealing with a specialist hire company that has a full range of telehandlers, readily available and in the correct sizes/models.
Range of telehandlers
As a bare minimum, any reputable telehandler company will stock the following ranges :-
- 4 – 6m
- 7m
- 10m
- 12m
- 14m
- 17m
- 20m
- Roto
Locality of Telehandler
Whilst your hire company may have the correct tele handler available, it’s no use if it’s in the Scottish Highlands and your site is in Devon. Before hiring a telehandler, check the geographic location of the telehandler as most major hire companies have a network of strategically located depots.
Get this wrong, and you will lose time waiting for your telehandler to be transported to site, and perhaps even have higher costs due to additional transport fees.
Competitive rates
If you are dealing with a reputable telehandler hire company, they should be able to provide you competitive rates.
Be careful when hiring a telehandler, as some companies will ‘cross hire’ a telehandler from another company, usually with an increased cost. An additional risk of cross-hiring plant is missing/incomplete QHSE certification (safe testing, certification etc.) , insurance cover and/or documentation.
Outstanding customer service
When you are hiring a telehandler, ensure you are dealing with a reputable company, with reliable equipment, on-sire repair facilities, dedicated Account Managers and central call-centres.