Question: If you could go back a year ago today, knowing everything that would unfold in farming and the economy in 2020, what would you have done differently in your business?

“When things get tough in your business, you must make tough decisions. It is important to be as transparent as possible with your people ..."

I’m asking for your help. Last month, I wrote an article on “3 Questions to Root Out Complacency.” In that piece, we posed 3 questions to farm equipment dealers on motivating staff to achieve greater heights for themselves, your customers and the company. I’m pulling together the compilation of answers from you and your industry peers, but I need your help with some additional perspective. I’m hoping you’ll take a moment to weigh in on 3 questions.

With prognosticators continuing to forecast lower wholegood sales throughout 2017, and no significant uptick in such sales before 2019, it is imperative that dealers intent on surviving this protracted downturn rethink their view of the wholegoods department. Impacting this transformation will be the fact that most of the manufacturers, if not all of the majors, will be putting pressure on their dealer organization to significantly increase dealership market share, says Dr. Jim Weber.

As a dealer, what have you found to be the most effective way to develop and manager the leaders of the future for your dealership?

What have you found to be the most effective way to develop and manager the leaders of the future for your dealership?

How has your approach to new wholegoods ordering changed in recent years? Why?

What have you found to be the best methods to train and develop the managers and leaders of the future at your dealership?

Evolution Ag's four locations have been servicing Ohio farmers for a combined 175 years. The agricultural-equipment dealership sells and services everything necessary to keep farms in business.