As the digital tools of precision farming have helped growers better manage ever-smaller portions of their fields on an individual basis, the successful selling of those tools has opened up profitable new opportunities based on selling “solutions” rather than just selling products.

In 2014, the Hale Group conducted research for Iowa, including a lot of information on row-crop agriculture. In a survey of 400 Iowa farmers, one question stood out to dealers: Who do you go to when you want to learn about new products and services?

Finding good employees — and retaining them — is a challenge for all farm equipment dealership departments, but it is particularly challenging for the precision farming department where burnout rates are high.

There are profits to be made for dealers who sell and service the ever-changing mix of precision farming goods and services.

Most issues within a precision business are caused by non-implementation of what you already know, and that’s why it’s important to have a checklist to print out, take home and check off, what you’ve done and to determine what you haven’t done.