5 Distractions Keeping Equipment & Parts Companies from Growing in 2025 (And Why They Can’t Wait Any Longer)

If you sell equipment and parts, your business doesn’t stop at the sale. Your customers depend on you for service, support, and parts throughout the life of every machine. How you deliver that experience—fast, convenient, and reliable—determines whether they come back for their next part, their next service call, and ultimately, their next whole-good purchase.

But in 2025, many equipment and parts manufacturers and distributors are stalling on the very investments that help them meet those customer needs. Why? Because they’re distracted. And while these distractions are real, the companies that keep waiting risk losing aftermarket sales, repeat customers, and long-term loyalty to competitors who are moving forward.

Here are the five biggest distractions holding the industry back this year, and how to overcome them.

1. Tariffs & Policy Uncertainty

With a new administration in office, shifting trade policies and tariffs are creating hesitation. Many leadership teams are pressing “pause” on growth initiatives, waiting to see what the political and economic landscape will bring.

But here’s the reality: your customers aren’t waiting. They still need parts, service, and support today, AND they want it to be easy. Digital tools like online parts catalogs, eCommerce, and self-service portals give you a way to grow sales and serve customers regardless of what happens in Washington or across global trade lanes. Waiting doesn’t protect your margins; it risks them.

2. AI Hype & Confusion

AI is everywhere in the headlines, and it’s creating more questions than answers for manufacturers and distributors. “What does this mean for my business? Should I be waiting to see how AI plays out?”

The truth: AI can’t help your business if your data isn’t connected, your product and parts information isn’t digital, and your customer transactions aren’t happening online. Those are the fundamentals. Until you have that foundation, AI can’t give you the insights or automation you’re hearing about.

Companies that prioritize building a digital sales and service channel now will be the ones actually able to use AI for smarter inventory, customer insights, and service automation later.

3. Economic Uncertainty

Inflation, higher interest rates, and ongoing supply chain challenges are making many companies cautious. But focusing only on cost-cutting leaves money on the table.

Aftermarket and parts sales can be some of the highest-margin revenue streams for equipment and parts companies, if you make it easy for customers to buy. Digital self-service portals and eCommerce channels not only reduce the cost of transactions, but they also make it easier for your customers to keep coming back to you instead of a third-party supplier.

4. Change Fatigue

Since 2020, many teams have weathered ERP upgrades, workforce turnover, and supply chain pivots. Leaders worry their teams don’t have the bandwidth for another transformation initiative.

But here’s the good news: building digital sales and service tools doesn’t have to be disruptive. When implemented correctly, these solutions integrate with your existing systems, automate manual processes, and actually reduce the workload on your teams by allowing customers to help themselves.

Instead of more complexity, it brings simplicity and growth.

5. Short-Term Thinking

In many organizations, quarterly results overshadow long-term strategy. Leaders delay eCommerce and self-service initiatives, thinking they can “get to it next year.”

But here’s what’s happening: your competitors aren’t waiting. The companies embracing digital tools now are winning repeat aftermarket sales, locking in customer loyalty, and positioning themselves as the default supplier when those same customers are ready to buy their next machine.

Every quarter you wait, you’re not just missing revenue, you’re risking relationships.

What This Means for Equipment & Parts Companies

For manufacturers and distributors in specialty vehicles, heavy equipment, agriculture, industrial machinery, and beyond, the path to future growth runs through your aftermarket and service business. Your ability to deliver parts, service, and support when and where customers need it will determine if they buy from you again, not just for their next part, but for their next piece of equipment.

Digital sales channels, interactive parts catalogs, and customer self-service tools aren’t just conveniences; they’re how you keep customers, protect market share, and build the foundation for AI-driven insights down the road.

Where to Start

If you’re ready to cut through the distractions and build the digital foundation your customers and your future business demand, we can help.

Equip360 gives equipment and parts companies the tools they need to sell more online, serve customers better, and secure repeat business in any market condition.

See how Equip360 works.