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Articles by Kim Schmidt

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Fennig Equipment Finds its Niche as Shortline Only Dealer

Gary Fennig, co-owner of the 2-store shortline-only dealership in Ohio, started Fennig Equipment in 2011 after a meeting with Yetter Farm Equipment during a farm show in Fort Wayne, Ind.
By Kim Schmidt posted on August 24, 2021 | Posted in Best Practices, Niche Equipment Markets, Dealership Marketing
After 21 years working as a parts manager for an AGCO dealership, Gary Fennig left the dealership to go help with the family’s crop insurance business. But he didn’t stay away from selling equipment long, starting Fennig Equipment along with brothers Mike, Todd and Ryan, just a year later in 2011.
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Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners leadership group

Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners Recognized as 2021 Dealership of the Year

Formed in 2020 through the merger of Sydenstricker Implement and Wm. Nobbe, SN Partners is well positioned for continued growth following its ‘Blueprint for the Decade.’
By Kim Schmidt posted on July 9, 2021 | Posted in Best Practices, Operations & Finance
Bringing two strong family businesses together can be messy. Trying to unite two cultures and two ways of operating the business into one isn’t without its challenges. But, for Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners, year one of the merger proved not only to be a success but the team got there with little to no drama.
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Department Management: Parts

Young’s Equipment Finds Depth in its Parts Department

Doug Pascoe, corporate parts manager for the Case IH dealership, says as the dealership has grown, adding a corporate level to the parts department was necessary. The dealership has put a large focus on recruiting young talent and training its rising stars in the parts department.
By Kim Schmidt posted on July 4, 2021 | Posted in Department Management
As the corporate parts manager, Doug Pascoe’s job — simply put — is to ensure the parts departments at Young’s Equipment’s 9 locations remain profitable. 


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Business Technology Special Report

Taking CRM to the Next Level

When used consistently, a customer relationship management system can help improve lead generation, feed marketing automation and increase sales.
By Kim Schmidt posted on May 29, 2021 | Posted in Best Practices, Dealership Marketing
Customer relationship management — or CRM — software isn’t new and has been covered in the pages of Farm Equipment several times over the years. But the benefits bear repeating, and the system is only as good as the information you put into it — garbage in, garbage out as the saying goes.
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Kim Schmidt
To the Point

Is There Life Beyond Deere?

By Kim Schmidt posted on May 26, 2021 | Posted in Manufacturer & Dealer Issues
Tennessee lost its last single-store John Deere dealer in March, but it didn’t lose a dealer. Clifford Pugh, owner of Tri-County Equipment in Crossville, Tenn., announced recently that Deere informed him in March 2020 that they would be terminating his contract on Sept. 2, 2020 because of lower than expected market share performance. 


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Executive Q&A

Koenig Equipment Reevaluates Metrics

Aaron Koenig, president and CEO of the 15-store John Deere dealership group, discusses how the organization has stayed focused on strategy.
By Kim Schmidt posted on March 24, 2021 | Posted in Best Practices

Koenig Equipment is no stranger to change. In its 117 years in business, it has seen changes that range from trading horses for implements to a shift in its major line (including several years of operating both John Deere and Case IH stores). 


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Benchmarking Dealers’ Employee Development

The Western Equipment Dealers Assn. surveyed farm equipment dealers to gauge where the biggest needs for training and development for future leaders lie.
By Kim Schmidt posted on March 23, 2021 | Posted in Data & Forecasts, Department Management

Workforce development has become an increasingly important topic for the farm equipment industry in recent years. While a lot of attention has been given to the challenge of finding and retaining qualified service technicians, the workforce development issue is much larger than that.


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AGCO Aims for $2 Billion in Precision Ag Business by 2029

AGCO Aims for $2 Billion in Precision Ag Business by 2029

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we look at AGCO’s plans for its precision business and its 2029 targets. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman talks with Eis Implement’s precision team. Also in this episode, the interest savings dealers could see with the latest rate cut by the Fed and a look at the used 100+ horsepower tractor market. 

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Yetter Farm Equipment

Built on 90 years of expertise, Yetter Farm Equipment leads the agriculture industry in designing effective and innovative equipment for residue management, seedbed preparation, precision fertilizer placement, harvest attachments, strip-tillage, and more.
Machinery Scope

Machinery Scope

At Machinery Scope, we believe you deserve the best risk management solutions for your investments in heavy equipment. Since 2013, we have been proud to offer extended warranty, appraisals, and inspections. Machinery Scope is a family-owned business built on our experience in farming and equipment dealerships. We understand your business and provide a personalized and professional level of customer service. Machinery Scope has built a strong warranty product with our customers in mind, offering the same professional level of service from the time you get a quote, through the processing of a claim.
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Finance Scope

Finance Scope is able to provide the best financing opportunities for equipment dealers and customers through a diverse mix of lending companies under one single platform. Our large group of lenders, allows for competitive rates regardless of credit scores. Additionally, dealers and customers have access to the industry’s best expertise surrounding finance and lease structures, for all purposes, within the agricultural and construction industries. We provide all of this into one online platform to provide our customers with the best available tailored finance solution for their equipment.
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