The Leadership Lessons theme for 2023 is how to build stable and sustainable dealerships that adapt to accelerating change. The advisors at Machinery Advisors Consortium (MAC) think it vital for dealership leaders to prepare for times of turbulence.
You’ve probably seen the movie trilogy Back to the Future. There’s no point in telling you the story, but just like in the movie, if we had a time machine, we could influence the present through our actions from the past and change our future through our actions of the present.
I often see the lack or fear of delegation when working with dealers. Usually, it’s because the owner/leader is a “Doer” and feels it takes too long to get things done or doesn’t feel comfortable in managing or developing their people.
Your service department is one of your biggest profit centers. But your service department is also the most expensive to operate. So, it needs to run like a well-oiled machine.
Remember when your dealership was a stand-alone operation? The distance from your boardroom to the breakroom was measured in feet. Now with acquisitions and expansion into big multi-location dealers, some of which span states, that distance is measured in miles.
Sell tractors, fix them, collect the money and innovate.
Farm equipment dealerships are not considered the most innovative industry, although remarkable innovations occur there on nearly a daily basis.
“We sell tractors. We fix them. We collect the money.”
This was the insight I received from a seasoned iron peddler upon my first visit to an equipment dealership more than 20 years ago. Simple and action-oriented, his statement summed up the fundamentals of equipment distribution.
Rapid changes create both risk and opportunity. Your dealership is impacted by big changes in technology, the workforce and higher expectations of your customers, employees and suppliers.
It is vital to understand the changing generations of both your customers and — most importantly — your employees. Not appreciating the generational differences may lose you both customers and employees. Knowing the values, virtues and capabilities of each generation will help you retain both.
In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we take a look at how the flooding in Texas will impact the ag industry and check in with some dealers in the region.
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.