Farm equipment dealers, like most computer software and hardware users, use only a small portion of the features built into the systems they work with every day. Studies show users utilize only about 30% of the available features in many systems at the top of the range and as little as 10% of the built-in features are exploited by any one user. This low utilization rate is the same whether it's a dealer business system (DBS) or a general computer application like Microsoft Word.
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.
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.
Do you think of your dealer business management software as technology? How about the software applications on your personal computers and other electronic devices?
Whether we like it or not, change is here when we talk about business technology. In your dealership, the adoption and use of new technology is moving literally at the speed of sound. The products you sell and service are more technologically sophisticated, which means that the way you sell and service them must at least match that level of sophistication.
Most dealer-principals and their salespeople use cell phones to speed up their communications and for customer convenience. But, what about cell phones for others in the dealership such as the service techs and the parts people?
Agriculture has entered the age of technology. And there's no doubt, farm equipment dealers are crossing the threshold of selling iron to selling technology.
Last month we emphasized that the pace of change in technology and business processes requires continuous upgrading of employee skills to remain competitive. This month, we expand on the topic of training and focus on how best to drive the effectiveness of your training process to maximize return on your investment (ROI).
Whether it's from your manufacturer's demand for market share or machine population, or your need for more revenue, dealers continue to look for ways to boost sales. A good place to start selling more machinery is to look first at your parts and service departments. There is a strong link between sales coverage and better parts and service profitability - meaning better absorption.
At the 2026 Farm Progress Show, Franklin Peitz, Digital Product Marketing Lead with John Deere Operations Center reassures growers that they have the right to their own data.
Since 1980, A&I Products has become a leading manufacturer and wholesale distributor of aftermarket replacement parts for the agricultural, turf, and industrial equipment markets. A&I Products' experience and expertise has greatly contributed to the company's reputation as a top supplier of quality, reasonably priced parts. Founded with roots as a small machine shop and repair facility, the company made the transition by manufacturing new parts to replace those that were identified as commonly needing repair. Throughout the 1980s, the company quickly garnered a reputation for offering quality parts at a reasonable price.
Built on 90 years of expertise, Yetter Farm Equipment leads the agriculture industry in designing effective and innovative equipment for residue management, seedbed preparation, precision fertilizer placement, harvest attachments, strip-tillage, and more.
At Machinery Scope, we believe you deserve the best risk management solutions for your investments in heavy equipment. Since 2013, we have been proud to offer extended warranty, appraisals, and inspections. Machinery Scope is a family-owned business built on our experience in farming and equipment dealerships. We understand your business and provide a personalized and professional level of customer service. Machinery Scope has built a strong warranty product with our customers in mind, offering the same professional level of service from the time you get a quote, through the processing of a claim.