Mailer Header 2-2012
Issue: #67
July - 2015
Building Cust Newsleter
Sales Department
Choosing a Forklift Dealer versus a Wholesaler for Your Used Forklift Needs
When you're responsible for keeping the department's budget in line, every major purchase matters. It's tempting to let price be the deciding factor when purchasing a used forklift, but this may only be a short-term gain. Considering the impact your forklift has on daily production, it must be safe and reliable.

Why choose a dealer for your used forklift purchase?

safety stripe
safety triangle
"We took our forklift's load back rest off after it got badly bent. Do we really need the thing on our truck"

Not if your load doesn't exceed the plate where your forks mount, that's actually the load back rest. You're speaking of the load back rest's extension. Here is OSHA's response to a similar question:

"OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.178(e)(2) requires that if a load can fall back onto the operator; the employer must equip the forklift with a vertical load backrest extension. As long as the forklift's load does not present a hazard to the operator, the forklift is not required to be equipped with a backrest extension." 
REGISTRATION IS ENDING SOON, DON'T MISS!
Manage Your Risks and Control Your Costs
Train Your Trainer: Forklift Safety - Class on July 28th
How much would it cost in emotional and financial terms if your company experienced a serious forklift accident? How much is it costing you today with the small accidents that happen every day? Should there be a reportable accident, how comfortable are you that in a courtroom your forklift safety program won't wither under scrutiny?

One way is limiting the risk to your employees, product and equipment by having well trained and certified forklift operators. With new personnel coming in, and others changing positions, how can you manage your risk and control your expenses effectively?

One answer is by having your own forklift trainer on staff. An individual familiar with your equipment, your physical layout and your company's plan and vision.

Toyota Lift of Minnesota is holding another "Train the Trainer" course July 28th. We invite you to look at the details and decide if it is time for you to control your risks and costs. Train the Trainer can be an easy choice.

 

Parts Department
What's behind the Curtain?
It takes only a small investment and very little effort to put a forklift service van into the field. It doesn't take a great deal more to fill it with popular fluids, filters and other forklift parts. What takes real effort is building and then maintaining the staff and infrastructure needed to make certain that the forklift service you receive in the field is as efficient and cost effective as possible.

There are likely dozens of forklift service agencies in your city, some of them independent, others that represent major forklift lines. When choosing just which service to use you owe it to yourselves and your company to research just what level of support your soon to be forklift field technician receives from his office.

 

Forklift Photo Moment
Forklifts in Art

How do you define juxtaposition?  


See more material handling photos and videos [many of them fun] at our Pinterest site. Follow this link.
Service Department 
What Level of Forklift Technician Does Your Company Merit?
We have said before that the forklift technician has more contact with our customers than any other employee, yet they can be the least qualified or equipped to be the face of the company. We understand that if we used the planned maintenance or PM technician position as an entry level position for the least experienced, lowest skilled techs that our customers probably would not recognize the differences between using us the original equipment dealer for service versus the local independent.

We know our forklift technician is representing our dealership in front of the customer; we adopted a long time ago the philosophy of placing a high importance on planned maintenance and the skill/capabilities of the forklift technician that performs that work. We know the customers can see the difference and our technicians will view high quality work as something to strive for. It is only when the forklift technician takes pride in performing a complete and thorough inspection that customers will see the value of our PM and realize the differences between us and the low cost often zero value competition.

 

safety stripe 
safety triangle
"We put some additional weight on our lift's rear end to keep the steer wheels on the ground when lifting. Now we're told that isn't safe, seems that being able to steer the truck is a good idea."  
 
We're big fans of being able to steer too, but you've regained that ability by modifying your forklift and in doing so you didn't ask the manufacturer or a qualified engineer if you could. It seems likely that something changed in your procedures that require you have a forklift with more capacity. The easier path is to either modify your procedure, or find a different forklift that has the capacity you need. 
Warehousing Systems
Supervision and Accountability in the Warehouse: The Missing Link
Pardon my rant, but a lack of supervision in the warehouse is more than a minor annoyance of mine. It's gotten to the point that not only do many companies lack adequate supervision, they won't even recognize supervision as a tool. That's right, after decades of brainwashing by the "experts", supervision has become a bad word. Today it's all about "coaching", "teamwork", "empowerment", and "self-directed teams". So how's that working out for you folks?

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with coaching, teamwork, empowerment, and self-directed teams-that is, there's nothing wrong with them provided they don't get in the way of effectively running your business. The problem is they often do get in the way. That's because once you adopt these feel-good concepts, you start to build a culture where supervision and discipline are viewed negatively.

The truth is most managers do not like to supervise and discipline workers. This is normal, and that's not a bad thing. If they actually enjoyed bossing people around and disciplining them, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to give them that power. But when you take people that don't particularly enjoy supervising and disciplining people, and add to that a culture where empowerment and teamwork are supposed to solve all your problems, you end up with a complete lack of supervision and accountability.

About Us

Toyota Lift of Minnesota has been serving its customers and the industry for over 36 years. Our mission is to improve your productivity and bottom line through better products, services and customer service personnel.

Toyota-Lift of Minnesota
8601 Xylon Court North
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55445
Phone 763-425-9066 Toll Free 800-523-0611

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook

Find me on Pinterest

Save 10%
Do you have an existing service, parts or rental quote from TLM?. Call us with the code 081815JOS and we'll take ten percent off the amount you were originally quoted [limited to parts, labor or rental fees and cannot be used in conjunction with other specials or discounts nor applied to any services sublet].

Take advantage of this now, we genuinely appreciate your business and look forward to working with you in the future.

Coupon can be used on only one quote thank you, and cannot be used along with any other offer extended or work/sale previously billed.  
Offer Expires: August 19th 2015
In This Issue
Sales - Choosing a Forklift Dealer versus a Wholesaler for Your Used Forklift Needs
Parts - What's Behind The Curtain
Forklift Photo Moment
Service - What Level of Forklift Technician Does Your Company Merit?
Warehouse - Supervision and Accountability in the Warehouse: The Missing Link
Free OSHA Poster
Online Warehouse Catalog
Video - Workplace Safety: What We Cand Do
Lift Truck Stuff Catalog
Factory Links
Quick Links
 
GSA Sales
Providing Product and Service Leadership
Offering most favored customer pricing and volume discounts, the Toyota Lift Truck brings you savings in both time and money.  Through Toyota Lift's GSA Schedule, you can purchase Toyota forklifts, the number one rated forklift in the world for quality and customer satisfaction. Also, we offer Crown industrial batteries.
  • Pre-qualification of pricing and quality has already been done by GSA for all government purchasers
  • Through Toyota Lift of Minnesota's GSA Schedule, customers benefit from a direct relationship with volume discount pricing, 100% quality products, warranty and delivery, with significant opportunities to help meet your small business goals
  • Orders placed against Toyota Lift Truck's GSA Schedule meet FAR regulations and are considered to be issued using full and open competition.

Contact Toyota Lift of Minnesota for your GSA Schedule needs. 

safety poster  
Free OSHA Forklift Rules Poster

Would look great in your lunchroom! 
Call us or email us at
[email protected]
We'll mail one off to you immediately! 
 
Catelog Splash
On Line Catalog:

Great Source For Warehouse Supplies 
Toyota Lift of Minnesota offers you an easy way to shop for all your associated needs. Follow the link below and see for yourself. From lockers to storage bins, we have it all. 

 

Catalog
Workplace Safety: What We Can Do
Workplace Safety: What We Can Do

Lift Truck Stuff Catalog

Great Source For All Things Forklift 
A catalog that brings it all together for you. Our "Everything Around the Lift Truck" catalog. Click the "Catalog" link at the bottom to review or download our catalog or through this link place your on-line order. It's that easy. 

 

Blog Icon
Toyota Lift of Minnesota's Blog
Updated almost daily with material handling, warehouse and safety tips. We're working to put good information in small bites out to our readers.
 
We are also on Twitter
@ToyotaEquipment
Factory
OEM Links