It's 8 a.m.; do you know where your trucks are? After real estate, a dealership's largest non-inventory asset is likely their rolling stock: delivery flatbeds and lo-boys, remote service vehicles, sales personnel cars or trucks, delivery vans, etc. But land and buildings stays put. Your rolling stock ... well, it rolls.

While next month's column will continue to explore compensation systems for salespersonnel, the focus of this column will address those winning attributes that were personified by each of the Olympic athletes as they participated in their individual and team events during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England. Whether Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, the U.S. women's soccer team, or any of the other hundreds of participants, four attributes emblematic of gold (Au) medal play stood out; namely, purpose, passion, perseverance and pride, and each of those attributes are similarly applicable to a successful career in equipment sales.

While previous articles is this series have addressed the two most prevalent types of sales personnel compensation — salary and cash difference — this column focuses on a system that is not used as frequently, yet should yield significantly greater results. It is a sales compensation system based on the equipment gross margin.

The title of this series of articles is “Technology for Profit” and is aimed at giving equipment dealers concrete examples of how advanced technology is being adapted to the day-to-day operations at machinery retailers to improve their bottom line.

While many are comparing the current situation to the drought of 1988, according to USDA's Economic Research Service, "The 2012 drought in the U.S. is more extensive than any drought since the 1950s. A striking aspect of the drought is how rapidly it has increased in severity in early July, which is a critical time for crop development."

The Ag Equipment Intelligence-Cleveland Research Co. (AEI-CRC) Dealer Optimism Index, a measure of sentiment among North American dealers compared to the prior month, declined to a net 9% of dealers reporting they have a less optimistic outlook now vs. a net 5% reporting more optimism last month.