RDO Equipment delivered its first John Deere E18ZS Mini Excavator to Queensland based R&R Hire Services recently.
The E18ZS is the first John Deere mini excavator that RDO has sold in Australia after arriving in June. It features a zero-tail-swing design and retractable undercarriage, making it a great choice for hire and rental companies, with its ultra-capable yet compact design meaning it squeezes more work out of areas where you would normally need a shovel.
R&R Hire Services is based in Caboolture and is owned and operated by husband and wife team Ian and Jillanne Rodgers.
They provide hire of party and trade equipment, from marquees to skid steers, with their trade customers ranging from qualified contractors hiring for a week of work, to “weekend warriors” who just need a machine for 1-2 days.
Their customers are based locally in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, but they can often travel as far as Roma or Goondiwindi some 400kms away.
Ian says because most of their customers only hire for short-time use, they can’t afford downtime with the machines, and need to get them serviced and checked regularly between hires to make sure there aren’t any issues for the next customer.
“When you work in hire, your machines should always be on the job. And if there’s a problem or a breakdown, that’s 100 per cent on us as the business owners to resolve. We rely on our suppliers who have the infrastructure in place to support us, and our customers – including location, availability and responsiveness,” he says.
Ian has been working with Vermeer for nearly 12 months, but when they became a part of RDO Australia Group late last year – this presented the opportunity for access to new products and more support. The RDO Australia Group includes Vermeer Australia, John Deere Construction and Forestry dealer RDO Equipment and Queensland agricultural machinery dealer Vanderfield, and has over 550 staff across their 18 dealerships.
“I take comfort in the fact that if one of our machines is out on a job with a customer, locally or remotely, and there is an issue, there will be an RDO or Vermeer technician only a couple of hours away. With other suppliers we’ve worked with we haven’t experienced that level of responsiveness.
“We know we can buy cheaper machines, but in three years time when we turn the machine over, the machine will be in a better resale position thanks to the quality and consistent service and support from the RDO team.
“This is our first zero-swing machine, after we’ve had quite a few customers come in and ask if they can hire one. They’re great for the small DIY jobs as they can fit into tight spaces such as backyards or alleyways.”
Ian says that their RDO Equipment/Vermeer salesman, David Holec, has been a valuable partner to them since they purchased their first Vermeer machine only eight months ago. Now they own three Vermeer machines for hire – two mini skid steer loaders and a walk behind trencher – along with this new mini excavator.
“Dave isn’t just our sales rep, he’s our go to for parts or service issues or machinery advice. He has a great work ethic and is always there when you need anything or have any questions. If we put in a call to him, he never leaves you hanging and is really quick with getting back with answers. He knows his products inside out, upside down, which makes me feel comfortable that we know what we’re getting.
“We’re looking forward to continuing to work with Dave and RDO, and see what other products we can add to our fleet.”
To find out more about the new E18ZS Mini Excavator, go to www.rdoequipment.com.au/e18zs-excavator/