Agricultural machinery configurator: Must-have for every retailer

The configuration options for agricultural machinery are increasing all the time: whether engine, tires or color - customers today are spoiled for choice when it comes to buying a new machine. For dealers, however, this wide range of options also presents some difficulties: In particular, displaying the various options on the website is often difficult and confusing. This is where a configurator can help.

What is the advantage of a configurator for agricultural machinery dealers?

A configurator on the website of an agricultural machinery dealer is not just a nice gimmick for the customer, but an extremely useful tool for sales and therefore a must-have. The configurator has two main advantages: Firstly, it makes it possible to display the countless options for agricultural machinery more clearly, thus ensuring clear structures and information on the website. Secondly, it ensures that interested customers can already take a detailed look at the various configuration options at home and, ideally, send the already configured machines to the dealer. Warmer leads and shorter customer consultations are hardly possible when selling new machines. A configurator for agricultural machinery therefore not only makes it easier for customers to select a suitable machine, but also reduces the consultation process for agricultural machinery dealers right up to the point of purchase.

In addition, a configurator is a good way to keep customers on the business website for longer - this not only increases the recognition value of the company but also the rating of your site on search engines such as Google. There is also less risk of your company losing customers to competitors: The individual configuration of tractors and agricultural machinery is becoming increasingly important for customers. If a company does not offer its customers this opportunity, it is very likely that potential buyers will opt for a company that offers them this service in advance.

Is it enough to link to the manufacturer's configurator?

Many agricultural machinery manufacturers, such as Claas or Fendt, offer their own configurators on their websites. Agricultural machinery dealers therefore often use the trick of linking to the manufacturers' configurators on their own website in order to be able to offer their customers a configurator at low cost. However, this method has major disadvantages for the company: As customers are redirected from their own company site to the machine manufacturer's site, the chance that the machine purchase will be made from another company increases significantly. In particular, if the machine manufacturer has a direct sales department and offers the customer the opportunity to obtain a direct offer for the configured new machine, the incentive to return to their dealer site is minimized. However, even if the manufacturer directs potential customers to an authorized dealer, this does not automatically mean that your company is first in line. In the worst case scenario, you will pass a warm lead directly to a competitor in the area, as they will appear earlier on the manufacturer's website.

However, this strategy is also detrimental to a company's online presence: not only do the numerous links to different retailer sites quickly appear unprofessional - they also have a negative impact on the website's SEO results. As customers follow the link to another website, the average interaction time per user can drop significantly. However, short interaction times are rated negatively by search engines. It would therefore be preferable for the customer to configure their machine directly on your website: The time he spends selecting and comparing different options for agricultural machinery has a positive effect on the SEO result and can therefore help the company website to be displayed earlier in search results.

What are the advantages of a configurator for farmers?

Not only companies can benefit from a configurator for tractors and other agricultural machinery - configurators are also playing an increasingly important role for farmers and have become much more than just a nice gimmick. The reason for this is the increasing specialization of the agricultural sector: In the past, farmers were often all-rounders who were active in various branches of agriculture at the same time. This is also reflected in the machines: above all, they had to be versatile so that they could take on as many different tasks as possible, from crop cultivation to livestock farming. Nowadays, however, many farms are becoming more and more specialized and this development can also be seen in machinery. It is therefore increasingly important for farmers to find exactly the right machine for their farm, which is why configuration is playing an ever greater role in the purchasing decision. Only when the farmer sees that he can adapt the machine perfectly to the requirements of his farm by choosing from various options will it result in a purchase decision. In particular, if interested customers can already find out online which options are possible for which price for a machine, this supports the farmer in making a considered and informed decision for the best machine for his farm.

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