A Precision Farming Dealer Staff Report

The roundtable discussion focused on “bundling service” saw a packed room of roughly 70 or so precision professionals. Moderator Chris Arend with Equip IQ, started the discussion out with a simple question, “Why are you here?”

After a few moments of hesitation and silence, Arend urged the large group for an answer again and a consensus answer emerged from around the room — bundling service is a major sticking point, where there is no “one size fits all” solution. The group was eager to learn what others are doing and discover what is working for their peers. 

A consistent theme ran through the discussion, listen to your customers and identify their wants and needs. Bundle in those items your customers are going to be excited about and eager to pay for.

But how do you make sure that whatever is offered in your service bundles is also in your best interest? There are going to be certain things your customers aren’t going to get excited about, but they need to be done. It’s important to include these less appealing but necessary items in your service bundle.

Communication and coordination with sales and service staff is also important in order to manage your customers’ expectations. Don’t “out kick your coverage” by offering services that everyone is going to need at the same time.

At the end of the day, it is important to know whether or not the service packages offered at a given price-point have worked and in order to do so, you must understand your costs. How do you track your costs?

When it comes to effectively managing your costs, it is important to learn to enable and leverage available technology through your business management system as well as service apps and online platforms that are available. These tools can help dealers know what their costs.

Then they can go back and determine whether a service package was a loss leader and effectively know whether or not the pricing for the service bundles offered worked.

Read full coverage of the Precision Farming Dealer Summit presentations, from how to recruit and retain precision employees, to developing a standalone precision business, to managing customers’ data, in the March 2017 issue of Farm Equipment.

Roundtable Discussion Topics

1. Precision Peer Groups: Your External Support Network
2. Tips, Tricks & Tactics for Selling Data Management Service
3. Does My Precision Ag Business Need to Have a CRM?
4. Putting on a Successful Precision Ag Field Day
5. Market Corrections: Lessons Learned During the Downturn
6. UAVs: Ready for Takeoff? Or a Grounded Technology?
7. Aftermarket Opportunities: What am I Missing?
8. Where Can I Find My Next Precision Hire?
9. Bundling Service: What to Include & How to Price (currently viewing)
10. Better Advice for Selling RTK Subscriptions
11. Probing the Moisture Sensor & Water Management Market
12. 7 Considerations for Succession Planning for a Precision Farming Business
13. Autonomy in Ag: What Role Will I Play?
14. Bridging the Hardware Gap: Adding Agronomic Services