Summer 2018

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

From the Virtual Terminal

It’s Not Always Business — Sometimes, It Needs to be Personal

June 19, 2018 | Posted in Dealer Development

While channel surfing recently, I stopped to watch what is one of many memorable scenes from The Godfather, where a young Michael Corleone insists that his restaurant-revenge plot isn’t a personal vendetta — it’s purely a business decision.
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2018 Benchmark Study

Positive Projections for Precision Revenue

Dealers report exceeding 2017 growth projections and two-thirds project measurable increases in 2018, with one-quarter forecasting jump of at least 8%.

By Jack Zemlicka posted on June 19, 2018

If the ag industry has taught precision farming dealers anything during the last few years, it’s that no longer can they rely on singular sales of hardware and expect to grow business.
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2018 Benchmark Study

Selling Service Value, Not a One-and-Done Customer

Independent service revenue objectives continue trending up as supporting wholegoods with technology sales and hardware reliance dip.

By Jack Zemlicka posted on June 20, 2018 | Posted in Precision Sales, Service & Support

A common refrain from dealers who reflect on the hey-day of precision products is that technology tended to sell itself, with little or no assistance needed by salespeople.
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2018 Benchmark Study

Boosting Agronomic Revenue & Customer Retention

Scope and structure of billing out precision services continues to evolve as more dealers opt for agronomy-focused offerings and a per-acre charge.

By Jack Zemlicka posted on June 20, 2018

The last few years have seen dealers transition service offerings — some with subtle shifts in scope of support options — and others with more dramatic expansions. With a goal of generating more recurring revenue, dealers are also looking to fill service voids for customers.
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2018 Benchmark Study

Training, Service Growth Remain Top Dealer Priorities

Customer education, employee stability and expansion of support revenue are primary targets to increase revenue now and in the future.

By Jack Zemlicka posted on June 20, 2018 | Posted in Precision Sales, Service & Support

The last 6 years have seen both subtle and dramatic shifts in dealer priorities with precision business. For the first few years, hardware held a firm grip on the most promising areas for future profit, but there has been a gradual shift in where dealers see their greatest growth potential.
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Day in the Cab

Embracing Customer Diversity Delivers Customized Service Solutions

A problem-solving mentality, persistence and patience are service principles Devyn Van Camp brings to the job as Integrated Solutions consultant with Riesterer & Schnell.

By Jack Zemlicka posted on June 21, 2018 | Posted in Dealer Development, Service & Support

Chaos is common during spring planting, and precision farming specialists are tasked with responding to technology emergencies, while also creating valuable in-season touch points with customers.
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Precision Training & Service: Roll In? Or Line Item It?

Three precision managers answer how to protect the service package plan on new machines from the farmer unenthused about extra costs.

By Mike Lessiter posted on June 21, 2018

During the 2018 Precision Farming Dealer Summit in Louisville, 3 precision managers answered real-life question from their dealer peers on if and how each charges for training, along with the best opportunities or obstacles to doing so.
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8 Tips for Building Better Dealer-Farmer Precision Partnerships

Three farmers and three precision equipment specialists discuss strategies for anticipating service needs, maximizing sales opportunities and avoiding customer conflict.

By Ian Gronau posted on November 23, 2022 | Posted in Precision Agriculture 101, Service & Support

The business relationship formed between precision farming dealers and farmers can be a complicated one. Farmers have certain expectations and dealers have certain limitations. However, cultivated, well-managed partnerships can be immensely profitable for both parties.
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Compatibility Conversation: Setting Aside Competitive Differences to Achieve Plug & Play Outcomes

Tech engineering veterans trade cautionary tales and share optimism that the transition to high-speed ISOBUS connectivity can improve applied prescriptions, data logging and cost-effective controls on farm machinery.

By James DeGraff posted on June 22, 2018 | Posted in Equipment Compatibility

Taking a break from the rigors of round-robin compatibility testing at the Agricultural Electronics Foundation (AEF) Plugfest in Lincoln, Neb., this spring (also referred to fondly as “speed dating for ag nerds” by one attendee), AGCO software engineer Mike Schmidt and Dave Smart, staff systems engineer for John Deere and team leader for AEF’s high-speed ISOBUS Project, discussed the progression of compatibility over the years through AEF conformance testing, the simplification of equipment connectivity for farmers of all brands and expectations for ag functionality with high-speed ISOBUS network capabilities on the horizon.
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Precision Perspective

Your Precision Reach Should Exceed Your Grasp

By Keith Byerly posted on June 22, 2018

There are some aspects of trying to run a successful business that are unique to those of us that are ag retailers vs. those of you that operate as part of an OEM dealership, or a standalone precision business.
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Featured Articles

Featured Articles

2018 Benchmark Study

Positive Projections for Precision Revenue

Dealers report exceeding 2017 growth projections and two-thirds project measurable increases in 2018, with one-quarter forecasting jump of at least 8%.

By Jack Zemlicka posted on June 19, 2018

If the ag industry has taught precision farming dealers anything during the last few years, it’s that no longer can they rely on singular sales of hardware and expect to grow business.
Read More

2018 Benchmark Study

Selling Service Value, Not a One-and-Done Customer

Independent service revenue objectives continue trending up as supporting wholegoods with technology sales and hardware reliance dip.

By Jack Zemlicka posted on June 20, 2018 | Posted in Precision Sales, Service & Support

A common refrain from dealers who reflect on the hey-day of precision products is that technology tended to sell itself, with little or no assistance needed by salespeople.
Read More

2018 Benchmark Study

Boosting Agronomic Revenue & Customer Retention

Scope and structure of billing out precision services continues to evolve as more dealers opt for agronomy-focused offerings and a per-acre charge.

By Jack Zemlicka posted on June 20, 2018

The last few years have seen dealers transition service offerings — some with subtle shifts in scope of support options — and others with more dramatic expansions. With a goal of generating more recurring revenue, dealers are also looking to fill service voids for customers.
Read More
Digital Edition

Digital Edition

2018 Summer Digital Edition of Precision Farming Dealer

August 17, 2018

Read flipbook version
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