The 2024 North American Equipment Dealer Assn. (NAEDA) 2024 Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Survey results are in and it shows again what dealers value most in their manufacturer relationships and expectations. It also makes clear who is performing best and who is moving up the ranks, and who is falling backward.
Much of the market anticipates the release of the survey each summer. The report is decidedly important to some and outright dismissed by others, either due to their poor results or perhaps a belief that catering to dealers can be counterproductive to bottom line results. Some manufacturers promote their good scores to prospective dealers and end-users.
Dealers, meanwhile, have used it as a point of reference on prospective lines or in rationalization decisions that follow mergers and acquisitions, and the occasional discussion during dealer advisory board meetings. While NAEDA does not break out results by segment (tillage, planting, etc.), dealers can examine the manufacturers in those categories when comparing suppliers.
One manufacturer executive noted that he and his team anxiously await the survey results each year to gauge performance with their first customer — the dealer.
In many ways, the results are akin to a “seal of approval” and an indication of what a dealer might expect upon choosing any given OEM in a decision to add or keep a line.
2024 NAEDA Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Report
The 2024 Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Report is available to all NAEDA dealer members and to participating manufacturers. For information, contact Joe Dykes at jdykes@equipmentdealer.org
The relative importance of the categories changed since last year’s survey. While product quality and parts availability remained unchanged as 1 and 2, the 2024 survey showed that parts quality, manufacturer responsiveness and product technical support moved up to round out the 5 most important characteristics. Showing how different the business conditions have become, product availability was the number-3 concern in 2023, while it had dropped to number 7 in 2024.
The following are the manufacturers’ performance in each of the studied categories, in the order of what is important to dealers. The numerical scores are based on a scale of 1 (extremely dissatisfied to 7 (extremely satisfied), while the trending data is expressed in percentage change.
Overall Satisfaction
Highest: Bourgault (6.27), Vermeer (5.97), Meyer Mfg (5.95)
Trending Up: Rhino (+7.07%), Highline (+5.76%), Land Pride (+3.73%)
Lowest: Gehl (2.55), Bobcat (4.35), Art’s Way (4.74)
Trending Down: Gehl (-15.56%), Elmers Mfg (-12.84%), Art’s Way (-7.96%)
1. Product Quality
Highest: Degelman (6.19), Meyer Mfg (6.17), Bourgault (6.14)
Trending Up: Highline Mfg (+7.30%), Bobcat (+3.74%), Rhino (+3.44%)
Lowest: Gehl (4.43), Art’s Way (4.64), Bobcat (4.71)
Trending Down: MacDon (-10.26%), Art’s Way (-7.20%), Kinze (-6.79%)
2. Parts Availability
Highest: Bourgault (5.95), Degelman (5.92), Meyer Mfg (5.85)
Trending Up: Bobcat (+24.93%), Gehl (+14.81%), Highline Mfg (+10.68%)
Lowest: Gehl (4.42), Bush Hog (4.46), Bobcat (4.66)
Trending Down: Bush Hog (-20.07%), Elmers Mfg (-6.38%), Meyer Mfg (-4.26%)
3. Parts Quality
Highest: Bourgault (6.14), Krone (6.02), Meyer Mfg (6.00)
Trending Up: Highline Mfg (+8.39%), Gehl (+3.28%), Rhino (+2.95%)
Lowest: Gehl (5.04), Art’s Way (5.07), Bobcat (5.09)
Trending Down: Elmers Mfg (-7.21%), MacDon (-4.70%), Meyer Mfg (-4.61%)
4. Manufacturer Response to Dealer Needs/Concerns
Highest: Bourgault (5.91), Meyer Mfg (5.73), Vermeer (5.50)
Trending Up: Rhino (+8.37%), Bobcat (+4.66%), Kinze (+4.09%)
Lowest: Gehl (2.02), Bobcat (3.59), Kinze (4.33)
Trending Down: Gehl (-18.55%), Art’s Way (-10.50%), Woods (-8.32%)
5. Product Technical Support
Highest: Bourgault (6.27), Meyer Mfg (5.98), Vermeer (5.80)
Trending Up: Highline Mfg (+6.94%), Rhino (+4.81%), Krone (+3.70%)
Lowest: Gehl (3.32), Bobcat (4.28), Art’s Way (4.45)
Trending Down: Gehl (-10.77%), Art’s Way (-7.68%), Meyer Mfg (-5.68%)
6. Warranty Payments
Highest: Meyer Mfg (5.59), Bourgault (5.55), Highline Mfg (5.55)
Trending Up: Rhino (+5.19%), Bobcat (+4.80%), Highline Mfg (+3.35%)
Lowest: Gehl (3.51), Bobcat (3.93), Bush Hog (4.16)
Trending Down: Bush Hog (-23.81%), Elmers Mfg (-14.12%), Art’s Way (-10.40%)
7. Product Availability
Highest: Bourgault (6.05), Degelman (5.96), Highline Mfg (5.73)
Trending Up: Bobcat (+46.18%), Rhino (+29.60%), Kinze (+29.47%)
Lowest: Gehl (1.79), MacDon (3.92), Bobcat (4.78)
Trending Down: Elmers Mfg (-3.32%).
8. Warranty Procedures
Highest: Meyer Mfg (5.73), Land Pride (5.54), Highline Mfg (5.52)
Trending Up: Rhino (+3.86%), Highline Mfg (+3.56%), Krone (+2.61%)
Lowest: Bobcat (3.49), Gehl (3.55), Art’s Way (4.55)
Trending Down: Elmers Mfg (-9.79%), Degelman (-7.49%), Bush Hog (-6.96%)
9. Communications with Management
Highest: Bourgault (5.91), Meyer Mfg (5.76), Vermeer (5.73)
Trending Up: Woods (+12.22%), Rhino (+5.72%), Highline Mfg (+3.56)
Lowest: Gehl (2.17), Bobcat (3.95), Kinze (4.27)
Trending Down: Gehl (-18.42%), Art’s Way (-9.89%), Meyer Mfg (-8.43%)
10. Marketing & Advertising Support
Highest: Bourgault (6.05), Meyer Mfg (5.59), Great Plains (5.59)
Trending Up: Highline Mfg (+6.60%), Bourgault (+6.51), Rhino (+4.73%)
Lowest: Gehl (2.87), Bobcat (4.55), Art’s Way (4.64)
Trending Down: Gehl (-13.55%), Art’s Way (-11.28%), Elmers Mfg (-9.67%)
11. Return Privileges
Highest: Kinze (5.85), Bourgault (5.82), Meyer Mfg (5.63)
Trending Up: Kinze (+24.73%), Highline Mfg (+11.97%), Bourgault (+7.18%),
Lowest: Gehl (4.13), Bobcat (4.43), Art’s Way (4.66)
Trending Down: Degelman (-7.92%), Elmers Mfg (-6.75%), Art’s Way (-5.86%)
New Analysis of 2024 Data
Ag Equipment Intelligence provided additional analyses this year to simplify the results. As such, it consolidated the 12 individual categories into 3 broader areas: product/parts availability, product/parts quality and administrative programs/protocols.
About the 2024 Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Survey
According to the North American Equipment Dealer Assn. (NAEDA), the 2024 Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Survey was distributed to dealership contacts in late March 2024 and remained active until May 24, 2024. Multiple reminders were sent to all who had not yet completed the survey. Each survey link was unique to the recipient, which prevented the survey from being taken more than once. To assist in distribution, several manufacturer brands provided lists of their U.S. and Canadian dealer networks. Duplicate email addresses were removed via a multi-step process. In total, 61 manufacturers were rated in 12 categories.
Dealer responses were collected anonymously by a third-party research platform. Dealer responses were received from 49 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and 10 Canadian provinces. Each respondent rated an average of 4 manufacturers. Of the respondents, 80% identified themselves as owners (51%), general managers (15%) and dealer-principals (14%).
That results of that first-ever aggregation of the shortline manufacturers into those 3 categories, and the change year-over-year is shown in Table 1. In these grouped categories, Degelman, Meyer Manufacturing and Bourgault claimed the top spot in product/parts availability, product and parts quality, and administrative programs/protocols, respectively.
Gehl was the bottom-dweller in all three of those same categories.
Table 1 also shows the year-over-year change in performance of the shortliners in those broad areas.
Observations on Manufacturer Type
According to NAEDA’s report on the subject over the different manufacturer classifications (full-line, shortline, tractors and outdoor power equipment), the “aggregate mean trend by manufacturer classification decreased from the previous years for all categories in each of the manufacturer classifications, except for OPE, which increased.”
In other words, dealers’ expectations following Covid and the supply chain challenges have largely increased — and aren’t being met.
As a whole, the shortline manufacturers slipped in performance to dealers between 2023 and 2024. In aggregate, only the performance in parts availability and product availability increased among the shortline manufacturers in 2024; all other categories were down. The same was true of full-line manufacturers. Of the tractor manufacturers, only product availability improved in 2024.
Overall, dealers report a satisfaction level with shortline manufactures of 73%. As usual, dealers are less forgiving with their full line (62% satisfaction) and tractor manufacturers (57%). Outdoor power equipment has the same 73% satisfaction as shortlines.
Company by Company Results
As seen in Table 2, 4 shortline manufacturers rose to the top in dealers’ rankings. Bourgault took the top spot in 9 categories. Meyer Manufacturing led in 2 categories and Degelman and Kinze each took the lead in 2.
On the other side of the equation, 2 manufacturers sit at the bottom of dealers’ rankings. Gehl finished last in 11 categories, while Bobcat finished worst in one category — warranty procedures. Both companies were at the bottom last year, though Gehl claimed one more “worst” score from Bobcat.
Ag Equipment Intelligence’s historical data tables also shed light to those manufacturers “on the rise.” Land Pride, Rhino and Highline improved in every single category vs. their 2023 figures.
Words from the Rising Stars
Farm Equipment received context from 2 of the 3 manufacturers who showed the most improvement — across every category in 2024.
Rhino Ag. Lisa Tubbs, president of RhinoAg LLC, described the mowing manufacturer’s positive performance and improvement across all categories.
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Product Innovation. “We introduced new and enhanced products that better meet the needs of our dealers and end customers. These innovations include more efficient and durable machinery, which have been well received in the market.”
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Enhanced Dealer Support. “We implemented a comprehensive dealer support program, which includes more frequent training sessions, better access to resources and a dedicated support team to address any issues promptly. This helped our dealers feel more confident and capable in selling and servicing our products.”
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Improved Supply Chain Management. “We made significant strides in optimizing our supply chain to ensure timely delivery of products and parts. This has reduced downtime for our dealers and customers for improved satisfaction.”
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Customer Feedback Integration. “We actively sought and incorporated feedback from our dealers and customers into our product development and service processes. This has led to better aligned products and services that meet the actual needs of the market.”
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Marketing & Brand Support. “We increased our investment in marketing and brand support initiatives to drive more traffic to our dealers and improve brand recognition. This included both digital marketing efforts and participation in industry events.”
Highline Manufacturing. Since 2006, Highline Manufacturing has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Bourgault Industries, also a perennial top performer in the NAEDA Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Survey. Bourgault also took the top rankings in 9 categories in 2024.
“There is no real silver bullet — we just continue to work at getting better at all aspects of our business every day,” Bob Cochran, director of Highline Manufacturing. “We believe that our relationships with our dealer partners are critical to our overall success. As part of that, we listen to their concerns and work to improve upon those things that are in our control.
“We are a relatively small team at Highline, which allows us to respond and react quickly if required to ensure the right things happen for our dealers and our customers.
At the same time, several manufacturers showed significant negative change. Elmer’s Manufacturing declined in every single category vs. 2023. Nearly as significant was the fall of Art’s Way and Bush Hog, which both declined in every category but one — product availability.
Last year, Art’s Way was one of the success stories of the 2023 survey, having reacted to low scores to notch its highest scores in 5 years in all 12 categories. (See “Art’s Way Reacts to Low Scores with Focus on Improvement & Earns Highest Scores in 5 Years,” September 2023 Farm Equipment.)
Production-Sized Tractor Performance
For the first time, Ag Equipment Intelligence examined the broad tractor results by horsepower range. What follows below is the dealers’ rankings of production-sized tractors. The small tractors, meanwhile, are examined by Rural Lifestyle Dealer.
The bigger tractor manufacturers, such as JCB, McCormick and Versatile, generally score poorly vs. their small-tractor counterparts. But when examined on their own, there are a few surprises.
As seen in the table, Versatile earned the top marks in all categories but 5, but scored most poorly in product availability, which has long been a problem for the formerly Russian-owned OEM.
JCB took the top position in 3 categories (overall satisfaction, parts availability and product availability), while McCormick was best in parts quality and product quality.
In examining the 3 “binned” categories put together by Ag Equipment Intelligence, McCormick showed the greatest 1-year percentage growth in all 3 areas, while Versatile fell in the same categories. JCB performed better in product and parts availability, but failed to reach last year’s scores in the other two areas.
