Dealers got a glimpse inside the customer’s mind last week during a farmer-to-dealer panel at the Precision Farming Dealer Summit. I asked our panelists, Mike Starkey and Loran Steinlage, for some words of advice for precision dealers in 2025. Here’s what they said.
“If something goes down and it’s something I can’t figure out, I want somebody to fix it, and I want them to fix it fast. That was a big issue for me in the past when I had the 20/20 monitor. I didn’t have the patience. Farmers aren’t very patient, let’s put it that way. I didn’t have the patience to wait the whole day for something that could’ve been fixed in an hour. That’s number one.”
“A workshop of some sort would also be nice. You don’t have to have a lunch, but for the customers’ benefits, I think that would be something that I would present. Also, as an incentive, I like the idea of seeking out customers that are willing to try things. Having a demo of some sort, I know that’s quite a bit of an investment, that would be the icing on the cake.”
– Mike Starkey, Farmer, Brownsburg, Ind.
“Play the long game would be the best advice I’d leave you with. If you’re in it to make that quick buck, it’s not going to last. If your customer is in it for that quick buck, it’s not going to last. It’s that relationship that you have to foster and build. It’s that simple.”
– Loran Steinlage, Farmer, West Union, Iowa
Loran says he’s learned how critical relationships are over the years, and that If you say you’re going to do something, then do it.
Watch the full version of this episode of On The Record