This headline is based on a sign posted at my gym that made me think about your business, and my challenge to “Make 2018 the Year of Human Capital Development.” I started to think about the small things that you can do with your people to develop them and your dealership. Doing small things that lead to big things is a useful perspective for you to create change with your employees and colleagues. It provides an approach for you to do every day in order to create big improvements.

This headline is based on a sign posted at my gym that made me think about your business, and my challenge to “Make 2018 the Year of Human Capital Development.” I started to think about the small things that you can do with your people to develop them and your dealership. Doing small things that lead to big things is a useful perspective for you to create change with your employees and colleagues. It provides an approach for you to do every day in order to create big improvements.

I recently talked to industry people about their thoughts on customer training. One response was that customer events are a “necessary evil;” that customers expect it, so we do it. Another said, “We do them, but we don’t feel like we get anything in return from them.” And another said, “Our customers don’t remember anything that we teach them so why do them — what’s the point?”

Often times, dealer-principals and managers have difficulty fully understanding their service department. This leaves owners plagued with questions about how to solve problems that relate to the bottom line. Often a deeper look is required, along with an additional understanding of what is important to profits and efficiency.

Last month, in preparation for a special report in June (stay tuned for one of our most fascinating projects ever), I sat a “green farmer” with a “red dealer” who’d not yet consummated a big-ticket deal. Here are 4 things a farmer wants a rival brand dealer to know about gaining his business.

Last month, in preparation for a special report in June (stay tuned for one of our most fascinating projects ever), I sat a “green farmer” with a “red dealer” who’d not yet consummated a big-ticket deal. Here are 4 things a farmer wants a rival brand dealer to know about gaining his business.

I challenged readers of this column to “Make 2018 the Year of Human Capital Investment.” Training is likely a key part of your human capital investment. Below is a professional perspective on how to make training work and how to make it pay from one of my Machinery Advisors Consortium colleagues, Daniel Surprenant. — George Russell

I challenged readers of this column to “Make 2018 the Year of Human Capital Investment.” Training is likely a key part of your human capital investment. Below is a professional perspective on how to make training work and how to make it pay from one of my Machinery Advisors Consortium colleagues, Daniel Surprenant. — George

Staff training was part of nearly every discussion at the 2018 Precision Farming Dealer Summit in Louisville. Precision is where things are moving fastest, and the expectations of farmers and the dealership itself (both equally unrealistic at times) and the firefighting at planting and harvest require highly structured processes and duties.