How to Judge an Automation Vendor Before You Sign the Contract

The robot is the easy part. What happens around it decides whether your automation project works or ends up gathering dust in the corner. You've seen it happen: a company buys the flashy AGV or AMR, it doesn't hit expectations, and within a year it's sitting unused while everyone blames "the technology." If you're weighing a warehouse automation investment and worried about repeating someone else's mistake, this one's for you. Brian Spradlin is President of Rocrich AGV Solutions, with two decades in automation and robotics including a run as Vice President of Global Product Development at KION Group. He also hosts this podcast, which means he's heard these lessons from the guest chair as often as the host's. Brian breaks down why the hardest part of automation was never the robot itself, and what actually separates a deployment that pays off from one that ends up switched off in a corner. You'll walk away knowing what questions to ask a vendor, what to demand in a service contract, and where the line sits between smart scope-cutting and a mistake you'll regret for years. Expect a conversation on how buyer behaviour has shifted from chasing shiny trade show demos to demanding real ecosystem thinking, where humanoid robots genuinely stand today, and what "invisible" project work actually looks like on the ground. This is for operations, supply chain and warehousing leaders evaluating automation vendors, not for anyone looking for a product pitch. Key Takeaways - The industry has moved past "should we automate" toward a harder question about long-term partnership, and Brian explains why that shift is protecting buyers from repeating old mistakes. - Humanoid robots draw the crowds at trade shows, but Brian lays out the cost, battery life and safety realities that put real commercial viability years away. - Systems fail at interfaces, not inside the robot itself. Brian explains why the software connections nobody demos are where most automation projects actually break. - Ask who picks up the phone at 2am before you sign anything. Brian shares exactly what to demand from a vendor's service and support contract, and why the answer often surprises buyers. Chapter Markers 00:00 Intro and the LinkedIn post that started it 02:33 Why customers now buy the ecosystem, not just the robot 04:56 Humanoid robots: hype or real solution? 09:09 What's actually interesting beyond the trade show floor 10:30 Sponsor break 10:55 The invisible work behind every automation project 12:50 Red flags in "easy deployment" marketing claims 14:46 Rebuilding trust after a failed automation attempt 17:42 What a proof of concept should look like in 2026 19:02 What to expect from a good automation vendor 21:11 The most underestimated parts of deployment 23:54 What keeps a system running at 2am 26:56 Sponsor break 27:26 Do you need the same technician who installed it? 30:10 Three takeaways for getting automation right 32:22 The tension between procurement and operations 35:08 Where the line is on cutting scope 38:36 Behind the scenes of The Automation Journey Useful Links & Resources Brian Spradlin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-spradlin-40450620/ Rocrich AGV Solutions: https://www.rocrich.com Connect With the Show LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocrich/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocrich_solutions/ Website: https://www.rocrich.com Got a story about an automation project that went sideways, or one that worked better than expected? Tell us in the comments. We're curious how many of you have equipment sitting unused because the "invisible" work got skipped. Visit rocrich.com to learn how Rocrich AGV Solutions can help you start or scale your automation journey. #AutomationJourney #WarehouseAutomation #AGV #SupplyChain #ManufacturingAutomation