In 2016, the Equipment Dealers Assn. (EDA) released a revised Compensation & Benefits Report to include wage data pertaining to office staff, parts, service and sales departments. Included are descriptions for over 30 jobs and bonus structures, data categorized by dealer revenues and more.
Dealers Willing to Pay for Experience, Quality in Precision Employees
Precision Farming Dealer also asked dealers to identify the salary ranges they pay for precision personnel in the 2017 Benchmark Study.
Dealers are willing to pay for in-house agronomic expertise, with 21.6% offering salaries of at least $86,000 for this position, more than double the total from last year’s benchmark study. However, there was about a 20% drop in dealers paying staff agronomists $71,000-$85,000 year-over-year.
But more dealers also appear to be paying staff agronomists less in 2017, with 13.5% reporting in-house agronomist salaries of $25,000-$40,000, compared to only 5% in 2016.
Despite the compensation range, dealers tend to recommend investing in experience and quality when adding in-house agronomists.
“We didn’t know what we didn’t know, so to speak, and the first agronomist we hired had over 20 years of experience in the field,” says Craig Benedict, Integrated Solutions Manager with Reynolds Farm Equipment in Indiana. “This really helped our new program to take off. It also allowed us to implement a mentorship program so we could hire more young, inexperienced agronomists and train them under the leadership of our senior agronomist.”
While recruiting and retaining precision staff is a perennial challenge for dealers, they appear to be willing to pay more for supervisors. Some 82.6% of dealers pay precision farming managers at least $56,000 per year, well ahead of the 2016 total of 73.9%. This includes 20.3% providing salaries of at least $86,000.
Some 42.4% pay experienced precision specialists $41,000-$55,000 per year, about 8% off the 2016 total (50.8%), according to the study. About two-thirds of dealers (66.2%) compensate entry-level specialists with salaries of $25,000-$40,000, ahead of last year’s total (60.9%).
The following article marks the first time Precision Farming Dealer is publishing a summary highlighting results from the EDA Compensation and & Benefits report, specifically positions related to precision farming and agronomy. While the EDA report includes data on dealerships across western Canada, this story focuses exclusively on the U.S.
Direct Data Applications
Precision Farming Dealer takes a look at the results with commentary from Joe Dykes, EDA vice president of industry relations. Dykes discusses notable trends and how dealerships can use the data as a valuable reference tool to improve their dealerships and the hiring process, available here.
“We’ve had large dealership groups use the survey as a guide in preparation for annual salary assessment reviews,” Dykes says, “It’s not a definitive book, but it’s something that can indicate if a dealership compensates below or above the average for a particular position, which can prompt discussions about making adjustments. As operations get bigger, they’re expanding into multiple states, so it’s reflective to have a nationally scoped audience.”
About the EDA Survey
The Equipment Dealers Assn. collects survey data every 2 years from agriculture and outdoor power equipment (OPE) dealers across North America. In 2016, 434 equipment dealers submitted data, the highest participation to date. These dealers represent more than 1,500 dealership locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. The data collected from the survey was reviewed by Armstrong Teasdale, LLP, Scheffel Boyle CPAs and Visor Benefits, who provided their analysis and recommendations.
A bound 120-page report was made available to all dealers who participated in this year’s survey, and available for purchase to others. Companies who did not participate may purchase the report by contacting EDA at info@equipmentdealer.org or 636-349-5000
CORPORATE LEVEL: For multi-store dealership operations with a corporate office
Corporate Precision/GPS Specialist
Provides technical sales support to precision/GPS-related products across a number of dealerships/branches. Supports unit sales plan through technical consulting activities. Typical activities include gaining an understanding of customer’s business needs and proposing precision/GPS-related solutions associated with an organization's products and services. May prepare and present technical proposals of how an organization’s products can meet those needs and be integrated with the customer’s systems and equipment. May follow up to keep the customer current on how the organization’s product enhancements can meet customer’s changing business needs. May provide technical leadership and assist in training less experienced employees.
| Average Base | Average Commission/Bonus | Average Total Compensation |
| $66,902 | $19,618 | $79,559 |
- Average Commission Based on Profit: 7%
- Average Commission Based on Total Sales: 2%
- Average Commission Based on Total Salary: 21%
Corporate Agronomist
Provides technical sales support related to agronomy solutions associated with the organization’s products and services. Supports unit sales plan through technical consulting activities. Typical activities include gaining understanding of customer’s business needs and proposing agronomy-related solutions associated with the organization’s products and services. May prepare and present technical proposals of how organization’s products can meet those needs and be integrated with customer’s systems equipment. May follow up to keep the customer current on evolving trends and technology related to agronomy. May provide technical leadership and assist in training less experienced employees.
| Average Base | Average Commission/Bonus | Average Total Compensation |
| $71,375 | $6,000 | $72,125 |
- Average Commission Based on Total Salary: 25%
DEALERSHIP LEVEL: Dealership level positions, whether a single dealership or a branch of a larger organization.
Dealer Staff Precision Ag/GPS Specialist (Sales and Support)
Provides technical sales support related to precision/GPS products for the dealership/branch. Supports unit sales plan through technical consulting activities. Typical activities include gaining understanding customer business needs and proposing precision/GPS-related solutions associated with the organization’s products and services. May prepare and present technical proposals of how organization’s products can meet those needs and be integrated with customer systems and equipment. May follow up to keep the customer current on how organization’s product enhancements can meet customer’s changing business needs. May provide technical leadership and assist in training less experienced employees.
| Average Base | Average Commission/Bonus | Average Total Compensation |
| $55,542 | $10,768 | $60,796 |
- Average Commission Based on Profit: 11%
- Average Commission Based on Total Sales: 9%
- Average Commission Based on Total Salary: 7%
- 25% Offer Customers a Precision Support Agreement
- Average Cost of Precision Support Agreement: $927
Staff Agronomist
Provides technical sales support for precision/GPS-related products for the dealership/branch. Supports unit sales plan through technical consulting activities. Typical activities include gaining understanding of customer business needs and proposing precision/GPS-related solutions associated with the organization’s products and services. May prepare and present technical proposals of how organization’s products can meet those needs and be integrated with customer systems and equipment. May follow up to keep the customer current on how organization’s product enhancements can meet customer’s changing business needs. May provide technical leadership and assist in training less experienced employees.
| Average Base | Average Commission/Bonus | Average Total Compensation |
| $49,360 | $11,381 | $55,568 |
