rather than on users’ initial reactions, Hammond of Valley
Industrial Trucks says. “If someone has operated the same
type of power or machine for the last 30 years and you
bring in something new, they’re going to find issues.”
How much negative feedback you’re likely to get depends
on how big a change there is. “If you go from lead-acid to
lithium-ion, that’s usually no big deal; it’s just a different
process in charging,” he says. “But to go from, say, diesel to
electric—that requires very different behavior on the part
of the operators.”
That’s why proper operator training during both
the demo and implementation is so important, Crown
Equipment’s Barrett says. “I don’t think end-users always
recognize the importance and the depth of training they
have to go through” when making a significant change in
DECISION TIME
