Staying steadily busy during the off-season with billable work is a universal challenge for dealers. One way to manage it is through winter service programs, in which customers are encouraged to bring in their farm equipment for off-season maintenance and inspections. This gives dealers work through the winter and helps customers get ready for spring.

We reached out to dealers of all colors from across North America who shared successful strategies and best practices for promoting their service programs and bringing in customers during the “off season.” Marketing representatives from several dealerships share their winter service promotions and why they work in their own words.

Click to view image gallery

Click the button below for suggestions from major manufacturers John Deere and Case IH on promoting winter service programs.

Web exclusive: 6 Tips from Manufacturers on Promoting Winter Service Programs

Dealer Takeaways

  • Use winter service promotions to tell customers the key features and levels of your service program and encourage them to schedule their inspections early.
  • Sell winter service by reminding customers that being proactive can help save them time and money during the planting and harvesting seasons.
  • Consider tying your winter service program with a winter storage program for extra value for the customer.

RELATED

Farm Equipment Webinar Series

The Best of Dealer Off-Season Service Packages

View Video Archive [site registration required]

During this live event, two dealers shared the details of their off-season service packages.

The two-dealer panel includes Matt McConnell, director of product support sales for Koenig Equipment, an 8-location dealership with 4 John Deere stores in Ohio and 4 Case IH stores in Indiana; and Brian Lohse, regional aftermarket manager of RDO Equipment's Midwest Ag Region, with 15 locations throughout North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota.

This event is brought to you free courtesy of STANLEY Vidmar.